Introduction
BASSETERRE St. Kitts, September 21st 2011 - The increased use of pesticides in recent years has resulted in problems not originally anticipated when pesticide usage first became common. Among the problems which have been associated with pesticide usage are (1) environmental contamination, (2) the development of pest resistance, (3) the death of non-target organisms, (4) outbreaks of secondary pests due to the pesticide-induced imbalance in the ecosystem, and (5) the resurgence of certain pest species. Many of these problems are thought to have been caused by a lack of appreciation of the effects which pesticides have on other (non-intended or non-target) plants and animals, and on the environment. This has led to a general consensus within the scientific community that in order to mitigate the unwanted effects of pesticides, it is necessary to be cognizant of (1) the interactions between the various types of pests, (2) the interactions between the various types of pests and their natural enemies, and (3) the effects of other factors such as (i) the weather, (ii) soil, (iii) innate pest resistance among various plant species and varieties, (iv) wildlife, (v) cultural practices in the community where the pesticides are to be used, and (vi) the people who will be using the pesticides, including their socio-economic status.
This holistic approach to pesticide management has given birth to the concept of integrated pest management (IPM). Simply put, IPM involves the efficient use of all the strategies available to control pest problems by taking action to prevent problems, suppress damage levels, and use pesticides only where and when required.
Goals
The goals of an integrated pest management programme are:
(1) To achieve improved control of pests;
(2) To effect better management of pesticides;
(3) To provide more economical crop protection; and
(4) To cause a reduction in the potential hazards associated with pest control.
IPM relies on four basic principles to achieve the aforementioned goals, viz:
(1) Exclusion
This involves preventing the entry of pests, and is based on the premise that if pests are not allowed to enter an area, then there is no need for pest control.
(2) Suppression
This involves keeping the population of the targeted pests at levels below which they are likely to cause damage of economic importance.
(3) Eradication
Sometimes, it is desirable to completely rid an area of a particular pest, as even small numbers of this pest can prove harmful. In such instances, IPM seeks to completely eliminate these pest species.
(4) Plant Resistance
A key concept in the IPM programme is the identification of plant varieties which demonstrate innate resistance to certain pests. When identified, IPM seeks to encourage the use of such resistant varieties in the farming system.
IPM is of benefit to the following:
(1) Farmers, gardeners, and park managers. These persons benefit from the more economical nature of the IPM programme and from the decreased risk of injury to humans, wildlife, and non-target plants.
(2) Workers. The decreased use of pesticides is accompanied by fewer potential health problems among these workers.
(3) Users of parks. There is less exposure to pesticide residues.
(4) Consumers of farm produce. The reduction in the use of chemical pesticide results in less pesticide residues on the agricultural products offered for sale to the consumers.
(5) Wildlife. There is less exposure of fishes, birds, bees and other wildlife to the effects of chemical pesticides.
Procedures
In order to implement the four basic principles of IPM, the following procedures should be employed:
(1) The pests to be managed in the agro-ecosystem or in the crop production system should be identified.
The following guidelines are useful:
An organism should not be viewed as a pest until it is proven to be one. A particular organism may be a pest in certain situations and at certain times, while in others it may not have pest status. There are different categories of pest status, i.e. key pests, occasional or secondary pests, potential pests, and migrant pests, and pest control should recognize the category before a treatment method is devised.
Pests interact with each other, and such interactions are not always complementary. In some instances, the effects of pests may be offsetting. Beneficial organisms must be identified.
The biological, physical and environmental factors which may affect both the pests and the beneficial organisms must also be determined.
(2) A pest management strategy should be developed. The primary objective of such a strategy should be the co-ordinated use of multiple tactics in a single integrated system so as to hold pest numbers and damage to tolerable levels. The fundamental tactics of this strategy should be:
(i) Utilization of indigenous natural control.
(ii) Management through cultural practices.
(iii) Use of inherent plant resistance and tolerance.
(iv) Selective use of chemical pesticides.
(3) Routine monitoring of pests populations should be carried out by trained personnel, and records kept of these surveys.
(4) Economic injury and treatment thresholds should be established. The economic injury threshold is that pest population level that produces an incremental reduction in crop value greater than the cost of implementing a pest management action. The economic treatment threshold is the level at which action must be taken to prevent economic damage. It is a lower level of pest intensity than the economic injury level. Knowledge of these threshold values allows for a scientific prediction of the losses and risks involved in the implementation or non-implementation of a pest control programme.
(5) The crop production system and the associated agro-ecosystem should be monitored closely. This allows for the development of monitoring and predictive techniques. These make it possible for the farmer to take the necessary measures to preclude the development of pest problems.
(6) Evaluation and follow-up should occur throughout all the stages, in order to allow for corrections to be made, success levels assessed, and recommendations made for improvement.
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