Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

What is IPM?   Ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties.

Reasons for IPM   Chemical pesticides can impact the human health and ecosystems   Example: DDT, a pesticide, can accumulate in the fatty tissue of animals and affect bird reproduction

Reasons for IPM   Insects can become resistant to chemical pesticides   Approximately 500 species of insects are resistant to one or more pesticides

How does IPM work?   Reduces the amount of chemical pesticides by using three possible approaches:   1. Mechanical   2. Biological   3. Chemical

Mechanical approach:   Limits the pest's access to food, water and harborage sites (i.e. proper storage of food/water supplies or installation or repair of physical barriers to future pest intrusion use of mechanical devices (i.e. traps)   Example – Japanese beetle traps

Biological approach:   Introduction of a natural enemy of the pest   Example – Lady bugs feed on aphids and can be introduced to reduce the aphid population on crops

Chemical approach:   Pesticide applications that have minimal risks associated with their use   Using the least amount of chemicals that will still be effective

Narrow Spectrum vs. Broad Spectrum Pesticides Narrow spectrum pesticides target only one or two pests EX: Broad leaf weeds vs. grasses (Weed-B-Gone) Broad spectrum pesticides target many organisms, not all are pests. EX: RAID, Roundup Herbicide.

Insects use of Pheromones   Pheromones are chemicals emitted by an animal that signals another animal of the same species.   Example: female gypsy moths emit a pheromone to attract a male

Pheromones and IPM   Pheromones can be utilized to catch or deter insects   Example: Pheromone “traps”, which contain the pheromone emitted by the female gypsy moth can be set to catch male moths

Advantages & Disadvantages of IPM   Reduce chemicals being used   May reduce # of pesticide resistant insects   Only uses chemicals if necessary   Long term benefits (lower cost for chemicals, better for environment and human health)   Individual using IPM must be educated about the options   Takes more time to initiate than simply “spraying for pests”   Must be closely monitored for best results   Natural enemies of pests may become pests themselves

“To Keep Pests Below the Economic Injury Level”  Economic Injury Level:  Cost of control = $ amount of damage caused by the pest  Includes amount of pest damage  Cost of each control practice  Are determined through extensive research  Economic Injury Level is the information that is necessary to develop an Economic Threshold, which is used by crop advisors

Economic Threshold  Pest Population at which a grower must take action to prevent a pest populations from reaching the economic injury level  Economic threshold is slightly below the economic injury level  Pest populations must be increasing

What IPM Is and Isn’t  Stresses a multi disciplinary approach to pest management  Entomology  Plant Pathology  Nematology  Weed Science  Crop Sciences (Horticulture/Agronomy)  Soil Science  Ecology

IPM is not static  New Pests  Soybean aphids, bean leaf beetle,  New Races/strains of pests  Western corn rootworm  Weed Species shifts  Roundup ready technology  Tillage system  Pesticide Resistance  Colorado Potato Beetle  Common lambsquarters

Benefits of an IPM Program  Protects environment through elimination of unnecessary pesticide applications  Improves Profitability  Reduces risk of crop loss by a pest  Increased knowledge of cropping system

Disadvantages of an IPM Program  Requires a higher degree of management ($)  More labor intensive ($)  Success can be weather dependent