1. Introduction to Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

2. Key points of IPM Integration –Harmonious use of multiple methods to control single pests or pest complexes Pest –An organism detrimental to humans, including: invertebrates, vertebrates, weeds, and pathogens Management –Decisions based on ecological principles and economic and social considerations

3. Key points of IPM IPM is a multidisciplinary endeavor Agronomy (crop and soil science) Entomology (insects: pests and beneficial) Plant pathology (plant diseases) Economics (decision-making) Agricultural Engineering (machinery, grain handling, etc.) Climatology (weather trends and effects)

4. History ~2500 BC: The element sulfur was found to help control mite and insect populations ~1500 AD to present: some plants found to generate insecticidal—and more recently— herbicidal compounds – Pyrethrum (pyrethrin - insecticidal) – The Neem tree (NEEM - insecticidal) – Bottlebrush plant, Callistemon sp. (herbicide Callisto)

5. History Late 1800s: inorganic compounds used for insect and fungal organism control, including: – Paris green (copper acetoarsenate) – Bordeaux mix (copper sulfate and hydrated lime) – Lead arsenate – Creosote (coal tar derivative) – Sodium hypochlorite solutions (bleach)

6. 1939 (dawn of the modern insecticide era): DDT recognized as an effective insect control Late 1940s (post WWII): the advent of “chemical” pesticides including 2,4-D 1948 Warfarin™ registered as a rodenticide (and later -in the early 1950s- as an anticoagulant in human medicine) History

7. 1962: Silent Spring published 1967: the term “IPM” first used

8. 1970: the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was founded 1979: the Iowa State University IPM program began 1993: call for 75% of U.S. crop acreage grown under IPM principles (by 2000) History

9. 1996: Roundup-ready® soybeans introduced in the U.S. By 2005, 87% of commercial U.S. soybean acres were Roundup-ready® varieties In 1998 Roundup-ready® corn introduced in the U.S. 2000s: U.S. farmers now apply over 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides annually Today: with increasing knowledge of pests, crops, and improving technologies, field- specific management is possible History

10. IPM 1.What is “normal?” - Is it really a problem?

11. 2. What is the problem? Proper identification is critical; that is why it is the first step. IPM 3. How and what does the pest attack? Only the plant of interest affected? Parts of plant affected? Patterns in field?

12. 4. How many pests are there? Is it too early or too late to control? Management must be at the correct time to maximize effectiveness. IPM 5. Determine an action threshold How many pests are too many? Economic, health, and aesthetic threshold Daylily plants with aphids

13. 6. Choose appropriate management tactics For many pests, there are several management options to consider. 7. Review your work: Was the management effective? Did actions do what you wanted? Was the method itself satisfactory? Were there any unintended side effects? What will be done in the future for this pest situation? IPM

14. Three important components Economic injury level –Lowest population density that will cause economic damage Economic threshold –Population size large enough to trigger an action to prevent an increasing pest population from reaching the economic injury level General equilibrium position –Average density of a population over time

15. Costs vs. Benefits of a Practice Costs Product cost Fuel Labor Marketing options May increase crop damage from secondary pests Spider mite damage to soybean

16. Costs vs. Benefits of a Practice Costs Product cost Fuel Labor Marketing options Predisposition to secondary pests Benefits Yield (economic) Quality (economic) Appearance (aesthetics) Human/livestock health Legal issues Acceptance of resultant commodity by end users Ease of mind

17. What has changed in agriculture? Fewer farm operators, yet the same acreage Fewer ag retailers, yet the same acreage Increased decision-making by someone other than the grower or pesticide applicator Rapidly emerging crop alternatives and demands (biofuels, special-purpose crops) Increased community and regulatory pressure Increased options (products/formulations) Greater concern about product availability and future costs

18. Agricultural Farm Operators # of farm operators

19. Average Farm Size # of acres

20. Scouting Fields

21. Overview 1.Do your homework 2.Basics of scouting 3.Help! I still don’t know

22. Know what “healthy” looks like What does a normal plant look like? – Above ground – Below ground – On the inside A sick plant is less productive and often gives indicators (e.g., color or growth) called “symptoms.” If you know what a healthy plant looks like, you can recognize when there is a problem.

23. Know common problems

25. Know common problems THIS year Keep up on the news –Local agribusiness –Internet –Print media –Word of mouth

26. V6VTVTV12 Anthracnose leaf blight Gray leaf spot (GLS) Common rust EyespotSeedling blights R2VTVTR4R6 Anthracnose top dieback Stalk rots; Ear rots GLS; Common rust; Northern corn leaf blight Timeline for common corn diseases Corn growth stage: Know common problems for each time of year

27. Basics of scouting Accurately estimate crop plant health, stand, growth stage and populations of any pests present Pest identification and/or diagnosis of the cause of crop injury

28. Gather equipment Contact grower Let them know when you are coming Ask if there are any special instructions Spend time with them Collect information about the field/season – learn the field history First steps of scouting

29. Map fields Aerial photographs Map from plat book or Google™ Maps Collect information

30. Map fields Soil map (printed soil survey or download)

31. Collect information Consider recent weather Environmental stresses may damage soybean and corn directly or make them more susceptible to some diseases.

32. Collect background information for the field Previous crops, adjacent crop and non-crop areas Chemicals used on or near the crop including herbicides, fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides; indicate when applied, how applied, rate of application, weather conditions during and following application Planting date, depth, and seedbed conditions Hybrid/variety information, including disease resistance Current soil test information (e.g., soil fertility, pH) Soil moisture and compaction Collect information

33. 1.Look at the BIG picture (field level) 2.Look at the little picture (plant level) 3.Record information Basics of scouting

34. i.Is the problem scattered randomly through the field or occurring in a pattern? ii.Is the problem more prevalent along a fence, field edge, entrance of a field or along a waterway? iii.Is the problem in the affected area more severe in certain soil types, low areas or on exposed slopes? iv.Does the pattern correspond to tillage, planting, spraying, harvesting or other field activities? LOOK FOR PATTERNS 1. Look at the BIG picture (field)

35. RandomAggregated Look for patterns T. Allen, Miss. St.

36. Slope Look for patterns Aggregated © Marlin E. Rice

37. Look for patterns Repeated Equipment can often cause patterns that are repeated across fields. For example, spray overlap every time the booms overlapped, compacted areas every "x" rows from combine tires the prior fall, etc..

38. Scouting patterns Transect Zig-zag Diamond

39. Check individual plants for symptoms and signs i.Compare damaged plants with healthy plants. ii.Check the entire plant and environment around it, including leaves, stems, roots, internal tissues, soil, pests not directly on plant, competition, etc. iii.A small hand lens, a pocket knife, a trowel, a shovel and the field guides are valuable tools. 2. Look at the little picture (plant)

40. Check individual plants

41. Look at more than one plant Aim to assess a minimum of 50-100 plants 10 15

42. i. Check the prevalence and severity of the problem. How often does the problem show up? How damaging is the problem? 3. Record information

43. Assessment methods Incidence = % plants diseased Severity = % tissue diseased

44. Foliar disease severity (%) 1 % 2 % 5 % 10 % Gray leaf spot

45. Stalk disease severity value