Integration of chemical and biological control systems for arthropods: Evaluation in a multitrophic context

The methods used to evaluate and categorise the effects of pesticides on beneficial arthropods are reviewed, including the potential significance of indirect, ‘sub-lethal’ activity and the importance of bioavailability of pesticides under semi-field or field conditions. Interspecific and intraspecific differences in the susceptibility of natural enemies (parasitoids and predators) to pesticides are considered, including the use of resistant strains in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems. The potential impact of pesticide resistance in the target pest on its natural enemies is also discussed. The need to assess the influence of the host plant/cultivar on the efficacy of pesticides for use in integrated control programmes (ditrophic effects) and of the possible effects of such chemicals on host plant/cultivar-pest-parasitoid systems (tritrophic effects) are then described with specific reference to the diamondback moth and key endolarval parasitoids. Finally, the potential for manipulation of tritrophic interactions to enhance parasitism by application of low doses of toxicants is demonstrated.     

The Red Queen in a potato field: integrated pest management versus chemical dependency in Colorado potato beetle control

Originally designed to reconcile insecticide applications with biological control, the concept of integrated pest management (IPM) developed into the systems‐based judicious and coordinated use of multiple control techniques aimed at reducing pest damage to economically tolerable levels. Chemical control, with scheduled treatments, was the starting point for most management systems in the 1950s. Although chemical control is philosophically compatible with IPM practices as a whole, reduction in pesticide use has been historically one of the main goals of IPM practitioners. In the absence of IPM, excessive reliance on pesticides has led to repeated control failures due to the evolution of resistance by pest populations. This creates the need for constant replacement of failed chemicals with new compounds, known as the ‘insecticide treadmill’. In evolutionary biology, a similar phenomenon is known as the Red Queen principle – continuing change is needed for a population to persevere because its competitors undergo constant evolutionary adaptation. The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is an insect defoliator of potatoes that is notorious for its ability to develop insecticide resistance. In the present article, a review is given of four case studies from across the United States to demonstrate the importance of using IPM for sustainable management of a highly adaptable insect pest. Excessive reliance on often indiscriminate insecticide applications and inadequate use of alternative control methods, such as crop rotation, appear to expedite evolution of insecticide resistance in its populations. Resistance to IPM would involve synchronized adaptations to multiple unfavorable factors, requiring statistically unlikely genetic changes. Therefore, integrating different techniques is likely to reduce the need for constant replacement of failed chemicals with new ones. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Integrated pest management of coffee for small-scale farmers in East Africa: needs and limitations

Coffee in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) is an important cash and export crop for small-scale farmers. The crop suffers heavy yield losses due to damage caused by a wide range of indigenous pests (insects, diseases, nematodes and weeds). Current recommended pest control measures include a combination of cultural, resistant/tolerant cultivars and the use of broad spectrum chemical pesticides. Chemical pesticides are far more popular at the farm level than any of the other recommended pest control measures. Coffee pest control strategies are often aimed at individual pests with little consideration of the implications for the total coffee pest complex and its agro-ecosystem. This unilateral approach has resulted in increased pest pressure on coffee and some of its companion crops, outbreak of new pests of coffee, development of pest strains resistant to the cheap and commonly available chemical pesticides, increased environmental problems, increased health risks to man and livestock and an overall increase in the costs of coffee production, thus forcing many farmers to neglect their coffee plantations. Measures to alleviate the above problems, particularly the high production costs, are needed to improve coffee production and increase the cash return to the small-scale farmer. Integrated pest management (IPM) offers the best prospects for solving the above problems. However, lack of national IPM policies, poor extension systems, inefficient research-extension-farmer linkage and the lack of a holistic approach will delay the development and implementation of appropriate, acceptable and sustainable IPM practices.     

Jointness in farmers' decision to apply pesticides in multiple crops and its determinants at the farm level in Bangladesh

Decision about pesticide application for pest control is an issue of major concern, but research on factors affecting decision-making is limited. This study investigates jointness in farmers' decision to apply pesticides in multiple crops and socio-economic determinants of pesticide use across crops using a survey of 2083 farms from 17 districts in Bangladesh applying a multivariate Tobit model. Overall, 75.4% and 12.7% of the farmers applied pesticides in one and two crops, respectively. The decision to apply pesticides in multiple crops was found to be negatively correlated, providing evidence of jointness. Also, individual socio-economic factors exerted variable influences on pesticide use in different crops. Output price significantly increases pesticide use whereas the influence of fertilizer price and labour wage is varied. Educated farmers use significantly more pesticides in rice and oilseed. Marginal and small farmers use significantly less pesticides in wheat/maize and pulse. Policy implications include price policies to reduce fertilizer prices and engaging agricultural extension agencies and non-governmental organizations to disseminate information on specific crop combinations which will synergistically reduce pesticide use.     

Patch spraying: future role of electronics in limiting pesticide use

Developments relating to the control of application equipment can deliver improvements in pesticide use by better matching applications to target requirements. This may have components relating to the spatial distribution of a weed, pest or disease or methods by which the target, particularly a crop canopy, can be described with respect to a given application. Changes in application can relate to the dose and/or volume applied, but may also concern the way in which a treatment is delivered in terms of parameters such as spray trajectory angle and droplet size distribution. For many weed species there is evidence of patchy distributions in field situations. Studies have shown that savings of typically up to 40% in herbicide use can be achieved by adopting patch spraying approaches in such situations. Weed patch detection is key to the performance of such patch spraying systems. In widely spaced rowcrops such as vegetables, there is considerable scope for developing fully automated detection systems based on image analysis, and for the development of accurate guidance systems that apply pesticides only to the crop row. In crops with a relatively high plant density, weed detection in the medium/short term is likely to be based on manual discrimination. The costs of labour for manual weed patch mapping have been estimated at less than 1.50 ha(-1) pounds sterling. Potential savings in pesticide use can also be made if applications are matched to crop canopy structure. This is most important in bush and tree crops where savings of up to 75% in pesticide use could be achieved. In crops such as cereals, studies have shown that savings in fungicide use may be possible, particularly at earlier stages of growth by adjusting spray delivery to measured canopy characteristics. Key components of the performance of application systems concern the ability to deliver over a dose rate range of more than 3:1 while maintaining control of variables such as delivery trajectory angle and spray quality. Traceability and the effective monitoring of applications is likely to be a major driver influencing the uptake of more sophisticated control systems. Methods of labelling pesticides with systems that can be read by the application unit will be an important step in the development of recording and data handling systems that will operate safely with the minimum of operator input and enable the environmental advantages of targeted pesticide application to be monitored.     

诱虫作物在害虫治理中的应用

诱虫作物主要从物理特性和化学特性两个方面形成比主栽作物更强的引诱力,使主栽作物得以保护。诱虫作物在生产中主要用来诱集害虫、给天敌提供避难和繁殖场所,其作用效果与诱虫作物的品种、播期和田间管理、害虫行为、对天敌的调控、与其他害虫防治方法的有机配合等有重要关系。采用引诱-排斥多策略相结合的方法,研究利用对害虫同时具有诱集和杀灭作用的植物作为诱虫作物,将大大增强诱虫作物在害虫治理中应用的可行性。     

作物从土壤中吸收、传递和累积农药的研究进展

农药是保障粮食安全的重要农业投入品,施用后部分农药会沉积在土壤中,甚至会被作物根部吸收,进入作物体内并累积于可食部位,从而导致潜在农产品质量安全问题。研究表明,土壤中的有机质含量、农药的辛醇-水分配系数和作物脂质含量是影响作物吸收非离子型农药的关键因素,作物各部位的脂质含量是影响该类农药累积的关键因素,借助蒸腾作用向上传递是作物根部吸收传导农药的主要动力。本文重点综述了农药被作物的根部吸收、传递和累积及其主要影响因素,结合植物吸收模型的发展及运用,展望了该领域未来发展方向,为农药归趋及应用风险研究提供参考。     

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research in application technology for pest management

A research summary is presented that emphasizes ARS achievements in application technology over the past 2-3 years. Research focused on the improvement of agricultural pesticide application is important from the standpoint of crop protection as well as environmental safety. Application technology research is being actively pursued within the ARS, with a primary focus on application system development, drift management, efficacy enhancement and remote sensing. Research on application systems has included sensor-controlled hooded sprayers, new approaches to direct chemical injection, and aerial electrostatic sprayers. For aerial application, great improvements in on-board flow controllers permit accurate field application of chemicals. Aircraft parameters such as boom position and spray release height are being altered to determine their effect on drift. Other drift management research has focused on testing of low-drift nozzles, evaluation of pulsed spray technologies and evaluation of drift control adjuvants. Research on the use of air curtain sprayers in orchards, air-assist sprayers for row crops and vegetables, and air deflectors on aircraft has documented improvements in application efficacy. Research has shown that the fate of applied chemicals is influenced by soil properties, and this has implications for herbicide efficacy and dissipation in the environment. Remote sensing systems are being used to target areas in the field where pests are present so that spray can be directed to only those areas. Soil and crop conditions influence propensity for weeds and insects to proliferate in any given field area. Research has indicated distinct field patterns favorable for weed growth and insect concentration, which can provide further assistance for targeted spraying.     

利用信息化学物在田间控制粉虱(半翅目:粉虱科)的潜力

粉虱取食为害以及传播植物病毒给全球作物生产带来重大危害.寻求高效、经济、环境友好型的防控方法成为当务之急.在害虫综合防治中化学信息素的使用可有效减少化学农药的用量,然而目前并没有实际可用的防治粉虱的化学信息素类产品.鉴于挥发性化学信息素在粉虱行为反应中的重要作用,以此开发的化学引诱剂将在粉虱监测和防治中起到重要作用.本文主要综述了植物-粉虱-天敌之间的信息化合物研究进展,重点关注粉虱相关的挥发性信息化合物,及基于此类化合物开发新型防治技术和作物栽培管理策略.     

Eco‐efficiency as a strategy for optimizing the sustainability of pest management

Agricultural industrialization and the subsequent reliance on pesticides has resulted in numerous unintended consequences, such as impacts upon the environment and by extension human health. Eco‐efficiency is a strategy for sustainably increasing production, while simultaneously decreasing these externalities on ecological systems. Eco‐efficiency is defined as the ratio of production to environmental impacts. It has been widely adopted to improve chemical production, but we investigate the challenges of applying eco‐efficiency to pesticide use. Eco‐efficiency strategies include technological innovation, investment in research and development, improvement of business processes, and accounting for market forces. These components are often part of integrated pest management (IPM) systems that include alternatives to pesticides, but its implementation is often thwarted by commercial realities and technical challenges. We propose the creation and adoption of an eco‐efficiency index for pesticide use so that the broad benefits of eco‐efficient strategies such as IPM can be more readily quantified. We propose an index based upon the ratio of crop yield to a risk quotient (RQ) calculated from pesticide toxicity. Eco‐efficiency is an operational basis for optimizing pest management for sustainability. It naturally favors adoption of IPM and should be considered by regulators, researchers, and practitioners involved in pest management. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Challenges and opportunities of unmanned aerial vehicles as a new tool for crop pest control

The application of pesticides is not simply delivering chemicals to the target area. It also involves considering the negative aspects and developing strategies to deal with them during the application process, to ensure the maximization of pesticides use efficiency and the maintenance of the ecosystem. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sprayers demonstrate unique advantages compared to traditional ground sprayers, particularly in terms of maneuverability and labor intensity reduction, showed great potential for chemical application in pest control. It is undeniable that there exist challenges in the practice of UAV spraying, such as higher potential risks of pesticide drift or pathogen transmission, uncertainty canopy deposition for different crops, and unexpected leaf breakage induced by downwash flow. Maximizing the utilization of downwash flow while avoiding lateral air movement outside the intended target crop area is a major issue for chemical application with UAV sprayers, particularly in light of the increasingly apparent consensus on the need for enhanced environmental protection during the chemical application process. It must be considered that the operation strategy in different scenarios and for different crop targets is not the same, unique requirements should be given on nozzle atomization, flight parameters, adjuvants and aircraft types in specific working situations. In future, the implementation of spray drift prediction, technical procedures development, and other solutions aimed at reducing pesticide drift and improving deposition quality, is expected to promote the adoption of UAV sprayers by more farmers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.     

Current options in integrated management of plant-parasitic nematodes

Efficient management of plant-parasitic nematodes requires the carefully integrated combination of several methods. Although each individual method of management has a limited use, together, they help in reducing the nematode populations in agricultural soils or in plants. A public desire for methods of managing plant pests in ways that do not pollute or otherwise degrade the environment has increased concomitantly with progress in research. Integrated pest management (IPM) provides a working methodology for pest management in sustainable agriculutural systems. In this paper, current methods for the management of plant-parasitic nematodes are discussed within the guidelines of IPM. The emphasis is on the methods by which decisions are made to manage nematode problems with the most effective and widely used management strategies. The advantages and difficulties associated with nematicidal chemicals (i.e. cost, reinfestation of soil after harvest, contamination of ground water and residues in fruits and vegetables), biological control (by predatory or parasitic fungi and nematodes) and management with cultural methods (including the use of uncontaminated plants or seeds, crop rotation, modification of sowing and/or harvesting times, trap crops and resistant varieties etc.) are considered     

Factors in the Success and Failure of Microbial Agents for Control of Migratory Pests

Microbial control agents generally kill insects more slowly than chemical pesticides, and fast-moving migratory pests may not at first sight appear to offer the most promising targets for microbial control. Operators responsible for control may need to have recourse to chemical control agents. Nevertheless, there are many occasions when pests breed and feed outside the crop and a microbial control agent can be used. Similarly, immature stages may cause little damage and early treatment in the crop can avoid damage. Microbial control agents are particularly likely to be favoured if the pest breeds in a conservation area, and if a publicly-accountable agency is responsible for control.Other key points of importance are the IPM context, in particular detection, planning and forecasting of outbreaks and the role of natural enemies.With these points in mind, we identify several locust and grasshopper systems where microbial control is becoming established; additionally, Sunn pest of wheat and Armyworm are identified as promising situations forbreak microbials.     

A review and critical analysis of the European situation of soilborne disease management in the vegetable sector

This review concentrates on the situation of soilborne disease management on several vegetable crops with the use of different strategies, including host resistance and grafting, with special focus??based on the experience gained in Italy and Europe??on the practical problems encountered after the phaseout of methyl bromide. Special attention is given to the emergence of new diseases or the re-emergence of old ones on several crops, and on the results and problems encountered by using grafting, biofumigation and other non-chemical control methods. The search for effective, economically and environmentally sound methods for soil and substrate disinfestation remains a continuous and challenging task for growers, despite intensive research. The European Regulation No 1107/2009, concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and the European Directive No 2009/128/EC, establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides, requires, by 2014, that all professional users implement the general principles of IPM. Research efforts associated with phaseout of methyl bromide generated new knowledge about the biology, ecology and management of soilborne pathogens and suggested more attention towards crop and soil health.     

农作物病虫害防治农药速查系统构建与应用

为了让农户能够直观了解及掌握常见病虫害的防治信息,帮助农户通过智能手机在农田、果园和茶园等现场方便快捷地获取作物病虫害图文识别要点与科学防治方法,为农户提供在线植保技术服务,本研究采用RESTful Web 服务架构设计,运用HTML5移动Web开发技术,借助微信平台作为用户访问入口,开发了一款跨平台 (android/iOS) 的农药速查软件系统,实现了农药信息查询、病虫害图谱查询及后台数据管理等功能。通过建立农药与病虫害间的关联关系,实现了从农药名称和病虫害名称两个途径查询农药信息;所构建的数据库涵盖了蔬菜、果树、水稻、茶叶及烟草等共30种福建省常规种植作物上的重要病虫害农药防治技术。初步运用验证结果表明,该系统整体实用性和稳定性较好,适合在农村基层推广应用。基于微信平台的农药速查系统能够满足植保新技术普及和应用的需求,可为农户提供简单便捷、对症下药的在线植保科技服务,对提高用户安全施药和科学防控能力、推进农药的增效减量均具有重要意义。     

Direct and indirect impacts of integrated pest management on pesticide use: a case of rice agriculture in Java, Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Integrated pest management (IPM) technology has been disseminated since 1989 in Indonesia to cut down pesticide use, but the adoption and diffusion of the technology are still debated. This study aims to estimate the models of demand for pesticides and to analyse the impact of IPM technology on pesticide use. Aggregate cross-section time series data from 1990-1998 are used.RESULTS: The results show that IPM technology reduces the use of pesticides by improving the process of rice production, such that pesticides are more efficiently used. In this case, the IPM technology is not a pest control technique.CONCLUSION There is an indication that IPM technology has been adopted by farmers. This is evidence that the IPM programme in Indonesia was successful in this area. Copyright (c) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry.     

The Development and Status of Biologically Based Integrated Pest Management in Cuba

This paper describes the evolution of IPM in Cuba during three pre- and post-revolutionary periods. The state of the art of IPM after the collapse of Cuba's relations with the soviet block is analyzed in detail. During this 'special period' Cuba is undergoing a major conversion from conventional agriculture dependent on external inputs to a semi-organic agriculture dependent on local resources and low external inputs. The massive production and use of microbial pesticides complemented by cultural and habitat management techniques are at the heart of this new quest of agricultural sustainability in the midst of the economic crisis. About 982,000ha of various crops are under biological control, with savings of about US$ 30 million in pesticide imports.     

Determinants of farmers’ decisions on pesticide use in oriental tobacco: a survey of common practices

Information about pesticide use and perceptions of their risks among farmers is important for identifying problems associated with pest-control decisions and developing appropriate management practices in given crops. In tobacco, a plant sensitive to many pests and diseases, such information is lacking. The patterns of pesticide use in oriental tobacco, as well as the most important factors for farmers’ decisions relating to chemical pest control were studied among randomly selected farmers in northern Greece on the basis of self-reported information acquired through a pre-tested questionnaire. High reliance of farmers on pesticides and field use of all well-known classes of chemical pesticides were reported. While all the active ingredients reported were registered for pest control in tobacco, they differed considerably in terms of toxicity. A normal cropping season received at least 14–16 pesticide applications for soil disinfection, pest control, and weed control. Most farmers stated that they usually spray chemicals on a calendar basis or on the first appearance of a pest. Efficacy on target pests and market price of the pesticide products to be used were the most important criteria for selection of pesticides, i.e. products that are considered to be highly effective and/or that are cheap are more likely to be selected. Better-educated and more experienced farmers were found to pay more attention to environmental safety and pesticide toxicity. Most farmers felt that pesticide use can reduce crop damage by more than 75%, assuring high yields. Main determinants of pesticide use were primarily the fear of severe yield and economic losses and the doubts about the effectiveness and the correct implementation of alternative pest-control methods. Pesticide use could be reduced by exposing farmers to improved pest-control practices such as site-specific integrated pest management.     

正确认识化学农药的问题

针对当前我国农药使用中存在的一些主要问题作了详细地分析,其中有些属于基本概念,应须统一认识,但很多属于农药使用中实际操作如何规范化的问题。文中提出了解决问题的一些建议和措施。     

农药兑水茎叶喷施对靶沉积剂量传递与调控研究进展

农药兑水茎叶喷施对靶沉积是一个复杂的剂量传递与分布过程，涉及制剂形成、药液配制、雾化分散、空间运行、叶面沉积和稳态持留等动态过程，受到药剂特性、环境因素、为害规律、植株形态和叶面结构等多因素影响，在水稻、小麦和玉米三大粮食作物上对靶沉积率为40.6%。其中，对不同区域、不同靶标作物种植体系中农药损失规律和高效利用机理研究与认识不足，是农药对靶沉积剂量传递效率低的主要原因之一。本文以农药向靶标作物及有害生物传递的过程行为为主线，将农药兑水茎叶喷施对靶沉积的剂量传递过程分解为雾滴空间运行、叶面动态沉积和稳态持留3个过程，从空间维度综述了各过程中的表观现象与行为、损失规律及其调控机制途径与技术等；从技术发展与进步角度，分析了农药对靶沉积剂量传递与调控研究和认知的发展思路，概述了典型代表性成果，提出了未来研究与发展建议。期望客观认知农药高效对靶沉积的损失规律与调控机制，探析主控过程与影响因子，提出农药减量施用调控方法、控制技术指标及功能助剂施用限量标准等，为农药减施增效关键技术与产品研发提供理论与技术支持。