Pest Management - Lecture notes 10 PDF

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Amanda Lorenz...

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ISB 210 - Insects Pest Management INSTRUCTOR: DR. Lorenz-Reaves Lecture 2

15 March 2018 ● Kristen Poley ○ Agricultural entomologist ○ Applied Nematology and Soil health lab ■ Job is to help farmers create strategies to grow crops better by conduction research to control pests problems and improve soil health ■ Has to be knowledgeable about many different droppings systems, which can be challenging ● Growing potatoes in michigan ○ 6th largest producer of potatoes in the country ○ $173 million annually ○ 70% of annual yield is comprised of “chipping” potatoes ○ Many challenges facing potatoes production - including various pests ● Importance of Agriculture ○ Global population and food supply ○ Current world population > 7,500,000,000 ■ Over 7.5 billion ■ By 2050, over 9 billion ■ Food production must double ● Pests in Agriculture ○ Pests can cause damage through: ■ Direct feeding - leaves, stem, roots, flowers and yield ○ Indirect Feeding - the pest may feed on the plant causing little damage but transmits a disease in process ● Integrated Pest Management ○ IPM is a sustainable approach to pest management ○ This strategy combines the use of all practical methods of pest control in a

way that maximizes profitability and minimizes environmental risks ○ Does not respond on the automatic application of pesticides; rather a series of thresholds ○ A hierarchy of management strategies; systematic ● Prevention ○ First line of defense in pest control is to prevent the pests from becoming a problem. Methods include resistant varieties, planting pest-free rootstock, and maintaining clean, clutter free environments. A proactive approach ■ Cost-effective, relatively easy if you get into routine ■ Extremely difficult to anticipate every possible pest ● Cultural Control ○ Modification of existing management practices to make the environment less-favorable to problem species ○ Environmentally friendly, potentially economical ○ Will not prevent all pest damage and labor intensive ■ EX. Trap crops ● Physical/Mechanical Control ○ Physical or mechanical control aims to physically keep pests from reaching their hosts - more targeted than preventative control measures. Methods include bagging fruit or setting traps. ■ Can be effective for specific pests ■ Will not prevent all pest damage and not feasible on large-scale operations ● Biological Control ○ Use of live beneficial organisms (predators, pathogens, parasites) to suppress pest populations ■ Sustainable and effective ■ Difficult to predict non target effects ○ Classical - releasing a specific good bug from the native range of the pest that will attack only a specific pest. Will persist in the environment for many years, ○ Augmentative - releasing good bugs (predators or parasites) into the environment to control pests. No persistence in the environment. ○ Conservation - supplementing environment with resources to encourage survival of good bugs ● Chemical Control ○ Application of pesticide formulations that are toxic to pests. Often chosen as a last resort

■ Can provide immediate, effective control ■ Non sustainable long term, expensive, non target effects ○ Use of chemical pesticides ■ External costs - kills non target organisms, pesticide resistance arises, contaminates water resources ● Steps to implementing IPM 1. Monitor the pest and the environment 2. Determine the economic injury level and economic thresholds 3. Determine tactic to employ - cost/benefit ● IPM Thresholds ○ Economic damage level - amount of injury caused by the pest which justifies control; the amount of injury where the $ lost due to pest damage equals the $ cost of control ○ Economic injury level - density of the pest causes economic damage; damage caused equals cost of control ■ Constant monitoring is necessary ■ Have to understand the market value of each crop ● Advantages of IPM ○ More regular crop quality ○ Reduced use of pesticides ■ Reduced risk of farmers and crops from contamination and in the environment ○ Better use of natural resources ○ Reduced input costs ○ Long-term benefits ● Disadvantages of IPM ○ Individuals must be informed of all options ○ Takes more time than simply applying a chemical application ○ Must be closely monitored for the best results ○ Natural enemies of pests may become pests themselves ● Conclusion ○ Hierarchy of strategies designed to control targeted pests in an economically and environmentally safe manner ○ Not easy to implement - information for thresholds may not be available, especially for emerging pests ○ Strategies must always be evolving to keep up with pests...