ANIMAL, PLANT & SOIL SCIENCE ANIMAL, PLANT & SOIL SCIENCE E5-1 INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

Interest Approach  Ask students to identify a pest and to describe the best control method. Lead a discussion regarding the ideas and how they relate to integrated pest management.  Ask the students: If given a choice, would you prefer an apple (or other produce) with insect damage or a damage-free produce? After they answer, tell the students that most Americans reject produce that has evidence of insect damage. Ask if they feel the same about other food products.  Ask students to identify a pest and to describe the best control method. Lead a discussion regarding the ideas and how they relate to integrated pest management.  Ask the students: If given a choice, would you prefer an apple (or other produce) with insect damage or a damage-free produce? After they answer, tell the students that most Americans reject produce that has evidence of insect damage. Ask if they feel the same about other food products.

Objectives  1 Identify and describe the types of pests.  2 Describe how pests affect plants and cause economic losses, and describe economic injury level and economic threshold.  3 Define integrated pest management (IPM) and keys to a successful IPM program.  4 Identify the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment.  5 Compare and contrast the methods used in IPM to control pest problems.  6 Identify the major classifications of pesticides, and describe how they are used.  1 Identify and describe the types of pests.  2 Describe how pests affect plants and cause economic losses, and describe economic injury level and economic threshold.  3 Define integrated pest management (IPM) and keys to a successful IPM program.  4 Identify the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment.  5 Compare and contrast the methods used in IPM to control pest problems.  6 Identify the major classifications of pesticides, and describe how they are used.

Terms  _ abiotic  _ bacteria  _ biological control  _ biotic  _ causal agent  _ chemical control  _ clean culture  _ cultural control  _ abiotic  _ bacteria  _ biological control  _ biotic  _ causal agent  _ chemical control  _ clean culture  _ cultural control  _ economic threshold  _ eradication  _ disease triangle  _ economic injury level  _ fumigant  _ fungi  _ fungicides  _ genetic control  _ economic threshold  _ eradication  _ disease triangle  _ economic injury level  _ fumigant  _ fungi  _ fungicides  _ genetic control

Terms  _ herbicides  _ hyphae  _ infectious diseases  _ insecticides  _ insects  _ integrated pest management (IPM)  _ key pest  _ herbicides  _ hyphae  _ infectious diseases  _ insecticides  _ insects  _ integrated pest management (IPM)  _ key pest  _ mechanical control  _ mites  _ miticides  _ molluscicides  _ mycelium  _ nematicides  _ nematodes  _ noninfectious diseases  _ mechanical control  _ mites  _ miticides  _ molluscicides  _ mycelium  _ nematicides  _ nematodes  _ noninfectious diseases

Terms  _ parasitic plants  _ pathogens  _ pest  _ pest population equilibrium  _ pest resurgence  _ pesticides  _ pesticide resistance  _ parasitic plants  _ pathogens  _ pest  _ pest population equilibrium  _ pest resurgence  _ pesticides  _ pesticide resistance  _ plant disease  _ quarantine  _ regulatory control  _ rodenticides  _ targeted pest  _ trap crop  _ viruses  _ weeds  _ plant disease  _ quarantine  _ regulatory control  _ rodenticides  _ targeted pest  _ trap crop  _ viruses  _ weeds

How are the types of pests identified and described?  I. An understanding of the major pest groups and their biology is required to ensure success in reducing crop losses due to pests. A pest is a living organism that can cause injury or loss to a plant. Pests include insects, diseases, weeds, mites, nematodes, parasites, and animals.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  A. Insects are a group of animals with an exoskeleton and three body parts. Most insects have six legs and four wings. More than 800,000 kinds of insects have been identified. Insects are capable of producing large numbers of offspring in a short time and can cause economic loss by feeding on horticultural crops.  1. Insects have either chewing or sucking mouthparts. Damage symptoms caused by chewing insects are leaf defoliation, leaf mining, stem boring, and root feeding. Insects with sucking mouthparts produce distorted plant growth, leaf stippling, and leaf burn.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  2. As an insect grows from an egg to an adult, it passes through several growth stages, called metamorphosis. Two types of metamorphosis exist: incomplete and complete.  a. Incomplete metamorphosis consists of three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult. As a nymph, the insect grows and passes through several instars between molts. Each time the insect molts or sheds its exoskeleton, it passes into the next instar.  b. Complete metamorphosis consists of four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The larva stage is the period when the insect grows. The pupa is a resting period where a dramatic morphological change from larva to adult occurs.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  B. A plant disease is a disturbance to the normal growth and development of a plant. Diseases are generally classified as being infectious or noninfectious. Infectious diseases are caused by living organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses. These living organisms that cause disease are often referred to as disease pathogens. An infectious disease can be spread to other plants. Noninfectious diseases are caused by environmental imbalances and cannot be spread to other plants. Examples of noninfectious disease include over watering, nutrient deficiencies, and air pollution damage.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  1. Plants are most susceptible to disease when they are under stress, which is usually associated with environmental factors. While the environmental condition itself may or may not cause a noninfectious disease, the stress it creates can reduce a plant’s ability to fight off infectious diseases. For example, over watering can cause the death of root tissues, but it also weakens the plant’s defenses against soil-borne disease organisms.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  2. The occurrence and severity of infectious plant diseases is based on three factors. The relationship of these three factors is known as the disease triangle. Disease control programs are designed to affect each or all of these factors.  a. A susceptible plant or host must be present.  b. The causal agent (organism that produces a disease) must be present.  c. Environmental conditions conducive to the causal agent must occur.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  3. Fungi are a principal cause of plant disease. Fungi are organisms that lack chlorophyll. They absorb nutrients from living or dead organisms. Their bodies consist of threadlike vegetative structures known as hyphae. When hyphae are grouped together, they are called mycelium. Fungi can reproduce and cause disease by producing spores or mycelia. Spores can be produced asexually or sexually.  4. Bacteria are one-celled or unicellular microscopic organisms that can enter a plant only through wounds or natural openings.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  5. Viruses are composed of nucleic acids surrounded by protein sheaths. They are capable of altering a plant’s metabolism by affecting protein synthesis. Plant viruses are transmitted by seeds, insects, nematodes, fungi, and mechanical means. Viral diseases produce several symptoms, including ring spots, stunting, malformations, and mosaics. A mosaic symptom is a leaf pattern of light and dark green color.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  C. Weeds are plants that are undesirable; they are often considered out of place. Weeds compete for space, nutrients, water, and light that the crop plants need to grow. They also harbor insect pests.

How are the types of pests identified and described?  D. Plants suffer from a variety of other pests including mites, nematodes, parasitic plants, and mammals.  1. Mites are small organisms with an exoskeleton, two body parts, and eight legs.  2. Nematodes are tiny hair-like roundworms that feed on the root of plants. They may live in the soil or water, within insects, or as parasites of plants or animals. Nematodes are quite small and produce damage to plants by feeding on roots, stems, or leaf tissue.  3. Some plants, such as dodder and mistletoe, are parasitic. Parasitic plants extract water and nutrients from other plants and give nothing in return.  4. Mammals (e.g., deer, mice, rabbits, and voles) cause severe physical damage to plants, which often causes plant death.

How do pests affect plants and cause economic losses? What are economic injury level and economic threshold?  II. Pest damage to agricultural crops in the United States has been estimated at one-third of the total crop production potential. Methods are available to minimize or eliminate the losses that pests cause. The goal of managing pest populations is to avoid a profit reduction.

How do pests affect plants and cause economic losses? What are economic injury level and economic threshold?  A. Economic injury level is the point at which the cost of pest control equals the revenue loss caused by a pest. Economic injury level is determined by estimating the potential yield loss, the value of the crop, and the cost of treatment. It also clearly defines how much damage can be tolerated.

How do pests affect plants and cause economic losses? What are economic injury level and economic threshold?  B. Economic threshold is the number of insects per plant or the amount of damage to the plant that economically justifies the use of control measures. If a control is applied when a pest population reaches the economic threshold, the population will be suppressed before it reaches the economic injury level.

What is integrated pest management (IPM)? What are the keys to a successful IPM program?  III. Integrated pest management (IPM) is an organized program in which the best management methods available are used to keep pest populations below the economic injury level. IPM is also used to avoid adverse effects to humans, wildlife, and the environment. IPM is a pest-control strategy that relies on multiple control practices. It establishes the amount of damage that will be tolerated before control actions are taken.

What is integrated pest management (IPM)? What are the keys to a successful IPM program?  A. The key to a successful IPM program is the use of a scout, either the grower or a hired individual, who regularly monitors pest populations and crop conditions.  1. The scout collects data about which pests are causing damage, what stage of life each pest is in, and whether the pest population is increasing or decreasing.  2. Knowing how to identify key pests and their biological characteristics is important. The weakest link in each pest’s biology must be found if management of the pest is to be successful. A key pest is one that occurs on a regular basis for a given crop.

What is integrated pest management (IPM)? What are the keys to a successful IPM program?  B. An understanding of the biology of the crop and its ecosystem is essential for successful IPM. The ecosystem of the crop consists of the biotic and abiotic influences in the living environment of the crop.  1. The biotic components of the ecosystem are the living organisms, such as plants and animals. The abiotic components of the ecosystem are nonliving factors, such as soil and water.  2. IPM attempts to understand the influence of ecosystem manipulation on lowering pest populations. Pest population equilibrium occurs when pest numbers stabilize or remain steady.

What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  IV. There are many benefits of IPM to agriculture and the environment. These benefits help sustain the ability of the earth to meet the needs of an increasing human population.

What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  A. The benefits to agriculture vary with the crop and the extent to which pests interfere with economical production. Careful planning is required to make effective use of IPM. The benefits of IPM to the agriculture industry are:  1. Reduced pesticide costs—Fewer pesticides are used with IPM. The cost of pesticide is reduced, and less equipment is needed.  2. Reduced application costs—The time and cost of labor for pesticide application are reduced.  3. Less pesticide resistance—Insects, weeds, and other pests will be less likely to develop pesticide resistance, which means that a pesticide is more effective when its use is required.

What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  B. The environmental benefits of IPM also benefit agriculture. The environment is made more sustainable and friendly to people. Benefits of IPM to the environment are:  1. Reduced contamination—The environment suffers less degradation through the use of IPM. Pesticide residues do not build up in soil, water, and other natural resources.  2. Fewer residues on food—Food products will have less pesticide residue with IPM, which reduces the chance of people contracting diseases associated with pesticides.  3. Improved human health—IPM supposedly results in food products that promote good health. Cancer-causing residues are present in smaller amounts or are not on food at all.

What are the methods used in IPM to control pest problems?  V. Using IPM methods of pest control and crop protection is best because reliance on chemicals as the only means of pest control can lead to pest resistance, pest resurgence, and possibly harmful effects to humans and the environment.

What are the methods used in IPM to control pest problems?  A. IPM uses chemical and non-chemical control methods to help reduce losses from pests. Choosing which method or methods to use will depend on an accurate assessment of the problem as well as information about the crop, the field, and the type of management. IPM methods include biological, chemical, cultural, mechanical, regulatory, and genetic control.

What are the methods used in IPM to control pest problems?  1. Biological control is the use of living organisms to reduce pest populations. These beneficial organisms are natural enemies of pests. They attach, live in, or infect pest hosts. Parasites, predators, and pathogens are all used as biological controls.  2. Chemical control is an integral part of an IPM program. Chemical control is the use of pesticides to reduce pest populations. Pesticide resistance is the ability of an organism to tolerate a lethal level of a pesticide. Pest resurgence refers to a pest’s ability to repopulate after control measures have been eliminated or reduced.

What are the methods used in IPM to control pest problems?  3. Cultural control is used to make the crop environment unsuitable for pests to feed, live, or reproduce. It is also used to improve crop health. Examples of cultural controls include soil tillage, crop rotation, adjustment of harvest or planting dates, irrigation schemes, variety selection, clean culture, and trap crops. Clean culture refers to any practice that removes breeding or over- wintering pest sites. A trap crop is a susceptible crop planted to attract a pest to a localized area where the trap crop is destroyed or treated with a pesticide.

What are the methods used in IPM to control pest problems?  4. Mechanical control is used to physically remove or exclude pests. It includes hand destruction and the use of screens (to keep out insects) and traps (to catch them).  a. Federal and state governments have created laws that prevent the entry or spread of known pests into uninfested areas, which is referred to as regulatory control.  b. Regulatory agencies also attempt to contain or eradicate certain types of pest infestations. The Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 provides for inspection at ports of entry. Plant or animal quarantines are implemented if shipments are infested with targeted pests. Quarantine is the isolation of pest-infested material. A targeted pest is a pest that, if introduced, poses a major economic threat. If a targeted pest becomes established, an eradication program will be started. Eradication involves total removal or destruction of a pest. This type of pest control is extremely difficult and is expensive to administer.

What are the methods used in IPM to control pest problems?  5. Genetic control involves the use of genetically engineered organisms to fight pests. Plant breeders are constantly working to develop varieties and hybrids that are resistant to or tolerant of pests.

What are the major classifications of pesticides, and how are they used?  VI. Using chemicals to manage pests and diseases is referred to as chemical control. Pesticides are the materials used to control pests. These chemicals may be natural or man-made. Although once used almost exclusively, control of pests with pesticides is now viewed as only one component of an IPM program. In fact, use of chemical pesticides is often done only when it is absolutely necessary. Pesticides must be applied safely to reduce potential injury to people and the environment. There are several different types of pesticides, and each is classified according to the type of pest it controls.

What are the major classifications of pesticides, and how are they used?  A. Insecticides are used to control insects, which are killed by body contact with the chemical, by swallowing the insecticide, or by insecticides that enter through the respiratory system.  B. Miticides are used to control mites and ticks. They are usually killed by coming in contact with the chemical.

What are the major classifications of pesticides, and how are they used?  C. Fungicides are used to control fungus disease. Fungicides are used to prevent a plant from becoming infected with the disease. Therefore, they are applied before the disease is present.  D. Herbicides are used to kill unwanted plants.  E. Rodenticides kill rodents, such as rats and mice. These chemicals are usually applied as bait. Eating the chemical poisons the rodents.

What are the major classifications of pesticides, and how are they used?  F. Nematicides kill nematodes. Nematicides are usually applied in the form of a fumigant, which is a substance that produces a smoke, vapor, or gas when applied.  G. Molluscicides are used to kill slugs and snails. These chemicals are usually applied as bait that attracts the slugs and snails and poisons them.

REVIEW  1. How are the types of pests identified and described?  2. How do pests affect plants and cause economic losses? What are economic injury level and economic threshold?  3. What is integrated pest management (IPM)? What are the keys to a successful IPM program?  4. What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  5. What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  6. What are the major classifications of pesticides, and how are they used?  1. How are the types of pests identified and described?  2. How do pests affect plants and cause economic losses? What are economic injury level and economic threshold?  3. What is integrated pest management (IPM)? What are the keys to a successful IPM program?  4. What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  5. What are the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) to agriculture and the environment?  6. What are the major classifications of pesticides, and how are they used?