PRINCIPLES of PEST CONTROL

What is a PEST? Anything that competes, injures, spreads disease, or just annoys us Most organisms are not pests

Pest Categories Continuous pest Nearly always present –Requires regular control

Pest Categories Sporadic, migratory, or cyclical pest –Require control occasionally

Pest Categories Potential pest –Don’t require control under normal circumstances

Pest Control Goals Prevention When the pest’s presence and damage can be predicted

Pest Control Goals Suppression Reducing pest population to an acceptable level

Pest Control Goals Eradication Not common in outdoor conditions Indoor is possible

Threshold Level of pest population that action should be taken to prevent harm

Threshold Action threshold is based on visual damage or health

Threshold Economic threshold is the level at which cost of harm (yield) exceeds cost of control

Pest Monitoring Insects: trapping and scouting

Pest Monitoring Weed: visual inspection Timing emergence

Pest Monitoring Disease: scouting symptoms and conditions

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Combining appropriate pest control tactics into a single plan

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Host resistance Some species, and some varieties of species, resist pests

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Host resistance Repel pest: chemicals produced naturally by plant

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Host resistance Tolerance: grows vigorous enough to overcome damage

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Host resistance Physical: some characteristic makes it difficult for pest Pubescent leaf

Biological Support predator populations –Diverse planting –Native plants Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Biological Release predators Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Biological Pheromone traps Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Cultural : alter environment, host, or conditions Crop rotation Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Cultural : alter environment, host, or conditions Fertilization Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Cultural : alter environment, host, or conditions Pruning Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Mechanical Physical controls –Handpick Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Mechanical Screens and barriers Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Sanitation Removal of debris that harbors pests Diseased foliage Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Sanitation Overwintering pests Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Chemical Destroys, controls, or prevents pests Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Chemical failure Bad timing Wrong chemical Wrong dosage

Chemical failure Resistance Pest populations develop resistance to chemical Occurs when the same chemical is used Rotate chemicals