Integrated Pest Management INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENCE OF PEST MANAGEMENT Josh Miller Topic# 2045

Plant Health and Pests –The condition of a plant as related to disease Plant pest –Anything that causes injury or loss to a plant –Most are living organisms –May kill the plant or make it worthless

How Pests Cause Losses Examples of pest losses –Damage plant parts-eat holes in leaves, buds, roots, fruit and other plant structures –Compete for space and nutrients – weeds grow and compete for water and nutrients with crop –Reduce quality of harvested crop – pest may contaminate the products of plants –Increased production cost – control methods are expensive and causes lower quality

Pest Control Tactics Integrated Pest Management (IPM) –Using pest control methods that produce favorable consequences –Two major procedures Scouting- observing crops for presence of pest Control- measures selected based on monitoring information

Chemical Control Failure Rapidly expanded for 3 decades following 1945 Mid 1970’s scientist observed some pests were no longer being effected Pest have shown that they can adapt

Environmental Contamination Widespread use of large amounts causing damage to the environment Things that were being contaminated –Soil –Water –Air Pesticide residues were found in food, feed and organisms at all levels

Using IPM Key pests must be identified These are the pest that cause regular losses The presence of weeds or insects does not mean that is is a key pest

Agroecosystems –The ecosystem that is created in fields, orchards, pastures and other places where crops are grown Can be used to benefit crops and reduce pest

Characteristics of Agroecosystems One species usually predominates There are numerous insects, birds and microorganisms that live there Humans intensively manipulate –Plowing, seeding, mowing, fertilizing, using pesticide alter system Crop density has a positive effect

Agroecosystem Planning Pest problems can be reduced using selected crop varieties Some problems and be anticipated and avoided with good planning Host plant resistance –Plants that are resistant to some pests

Thresholds –Point at which an event or change occurs Injury threshold –Based on the damage caused by a potential pest to a crop to be classified as a pest –Some insects and live in a crop plant and cause no damage –One weed or insect doesn’t create crop injury Economic threshold –Based on the returns to be gained from using a pesticide

Benefits to Agriculture Major benefits of IPM –Reduce pesticide cost –Reduce application cost –Less pesticide resistance –Promote sustainable agriculture –Reduce crop damage –Stronger social and political support

Benefits to the Environment Major benefits of IPM –Reduced contamination –Fewer residues on food –Improved human health

Safety with Pesticides Pesticide is a poison Classification of Pesticide –Toxicity – the degree of poison in a material –Two categories General-use pesticide – widely used by following instructions on the label Restricted-use pesticide – higher toxicity than general-use with a higher risk

Possible Hazards to People Carcinogen – a pesticide suspected of causing cancer Pesticides enter human body through skin, mouth and inhalation 90% of all exposure occurs through the skin

Possible Hazards to People cont. Dermal Exposure –Forearm 1.0 –Palm 1.3 –Ball of foot 1.6 –Abdomen 2.1 –Scalp 3.7 –Forehead 4.2 –Ear Canal 5.4 –Scrotal area 11.8

Possible Hazards to People cont. Protective equipment –Gloves –Boots –Hats –Overalls –Goggles –Face shields –Respirator

Safety Procedures Use only approved pesticides in approved ways Read and follow instructions Use only when needed Use low toxicity pesticides Consider weather Properly use equipment

Safety Procedures cont. Properly dispose of empty containers Avoid contaminating the environment Protect from exposure Post warning signs Know emergency procedures