Implementation of integrated pest management in Israel

Supervised control programs were initiated by the Extension Service in the deciduous orchards of Upper Galilee and the Golan almost 20 years ago. The integrated pest management (IPM) project on fruit crops and vines, launched as a systematic state-wide program in 1991, covered 23% of the total acreage at the end of 1996. The program has reached a critical mass and generates a steady demand for this new kind of advisory service. The project has set the right pattern for intensive and continuous collaboration among research, extension and grower. The program has been successful in reaching out to growers with the help of a newly formed group of local and regional pest scouts; the field-level implementation is the responsibility of the extension system. A reduction of approximately 30% in the use of pesticides has been achieved. The project prepares the ground for environment-friendly and sustainable cropping systems, generating produce competitive on both the local as well as foreign markets. The program on indoor vegetables, flowers, herbs and spices initiated in 1992, had to address first the problem of the sweetpotato whitefly. The field program methodology relies on the establishment of model farms and plots. The model plots are used to examine supervised control scenarios which could, in turn, be diffused to all growers. A 30-50% reduction in the use of pesticides was achieved on the model farms. The program represents an integration of supervised control, fully fledged IPM, and biological control practices. The program on corn and cotton covers the entire acreage under these two crops. The cotton program is supported by an integrated resistance management component. Three area-wide pest management programs were initiated: in the Arava and Bet She’ an valleys, and in the Golan.     

Problems of implementing compulsory integrated pest management

Compulsory integrated pest management poses a number of challenges and issues for debate. Some of are discussed with reference to European Union requirements set out in Annex III of Directive 128/2009. Requirements on the use of plant protection products bring with them problems with dose reduction in the light of a resistance prevention strategy, the lack of threshold levels, the necessity of chemical treatments and the limited availability of effective products of biological origin. Use of preventive measures of pest control faces barriers related to profitability and a lack of knowledge on the part of farmers. Challenges to control the system, as well as the fact that some legally enforced rules are not suitable for all crops, seem also to be an issue. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

番茄潜叶蛾综合防控技术研究进展

番茄潜叶蛾Phthorimaea absoluta Meyrick起源于南美洲的秘鲁,是一种世界检疫性入侵害虫,目前已经扩散到全球100多个国家,严重威胁全球番茄产业。该虫于2017年入侵我国新疆伊犁,之后在南方多个省份相继被发现,且呈现扩散趋势,危害范围加大。本文从农业防治、化学防治、生物防治、物理防治等方面总结番茄潜叶蛾原发地和入侵国的防治进展及治理经验,并结合我国实际提出建议,为国内番茄潜叶蛾的有效治理和抑制其扩散提供参考。     

A review of subterranean termite control practices and prospects for integrated pest management programmes

Soil insecticide barriers have been the single most important tool for subterranean termite control in the last half century, but limitations with current soil termiticides have provided the impetus to look for alternatives in recent years. One such alternative is the monitoring--baiting programme. Monitoring stations to detect termites are placed in the soil surrounding a structure. Once termites are found in the stations, monitoring devices are replaced with slow-acting baits such as the chitin synthesis inhibitor, hexaflumuron. Field studies have indicated that termite colonies were eliminated using less than 1 g of hexaflumuron. After the elimination, monitoring resumes and bait is applied if new termite activity is detected. The monitoring and baiting procedure form the basis for an ongoing programme to protect structures from subterranean termite infestation. Although the cost--benefit model developed for agricultural integrated pest management cannot be applied directly to termite control, the underlying concept for using a cost-effective approach remains the same. The benefits of the monitoring--baiting programme over conventional soil treatment are a reduction in pesticide applied per unit and the elimination of termite populations near structures, resulting in the reduction of liability and damage potential. It is expected that the data management system when used in conjunction with the monitoring--baiting programme will provide a database to improve its cost-effectiveness continuously.     

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     

A review of the pest management situation in mango agroecosystems

Integrated pest management programs for mango must be based on sampling and on economic thresholds, and must take into account the effects of cultural practices, horticultural sprays and disease control on pest and natural enemy interactions. An analysis of the mass of information available on the different mango pests,viz., fruit flies(Bactrocera sp.,Ceratitis sp.,Anastrepha sp.), mango seed weevil(Sternochetus mangiferae), thrips(Frankliniella spp.), gall midges(Procontarinia sp.), scales, mites and mealybugs is given, as well as different examples for future entomological research.     

The need to implement the landscape of fear within rodent pest management strategies

Current reactive pest management methods have serious drawbacks such as the heavy reliance on chemicals, emerging genetic rodenticide resistance and high secondary exposure risks. Rodent control needs to be based on pest species ecology and ethology to facilitate the development of ecologically based rodent management (EBRM). An important aspect of EBRM is a strong understanding of rodent pest species ecology, behaviour and spatiotemporal factors. Gaining insight into the behaviour of pest species is a key aspect of EBRM. The landscape of fear (LOF) is a mapping of the spatial variation in the foraging cost arising from the risk of predation, and reflects the levels of fear a prey species perceives at different locations within its home range. In practice, the LOF maps habitat use as a result of perceived fear, which shows where bait or traps are most likely to be encountered and used by rodents. Several studies have linked perceived predation risk of foraging animals with quitting‐harvest rates or giving‐up densities (GUDs). GUDs have been used to reflect foraging behaviour strategies of predator avoidance, but to our knowledge very few papers have directly used GUDs in relation to pest management strategies. An opportunity for rodent control strategies lies in the integration of the LOF of rodents in EBRM methodologies. Rodent management could be more efficient and effective by concentrating on those areas where rodents perceive the least levels of predation risk. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Impacts of cropping system and management practices on the assembly of weed communities

Understanding how weed communities assemble as a function of biotic and abiotic filters and transform through time has important implications for the sustainable management of agronomic systems. In a three‐year study, we evaluated weed community responses to lucerne (Medicago sativa, perennial) vs. continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum, annual, CSW) and weed management practices where weeds in the CSW system were managed with three contrasting approaches (herbicide, tillage or sheep grazing). Our results indicated no differences in weed diversity between the perennial and annual crops or across the different management practices in CSW. However, there were differences in weed community composition. Lucerne, with the exception of the establishing year, impeded the growth and reproduction of several annual weeds, including Amaranthus retroflexus, Thlaspi arvense, Lamium amplexicaule and Chenopodium album, but favoured perennial broad‐leaved weeds such as Taraxacum officinale and Cirsium arvense. The replacement of herbicide treatments in pre‐plant and post‐harvest in CSW with soil tillage or sheep grazing selected for different weed communities beyond the second year of establishment. The weed species driving the differences in CSW systems were Androsace occidentalis, more common in CSW managed chemically; Asperugo procumbens, more common in CSW managed with tillage; and T. officinale and Lactuca serriola, more common in CSW managed with sheep grazing. Understanding how cropping systems modify weed communities is a necessary step to shift from reactive weed control programmes to predictive management strategies.     

Perspective: enhancing economic evaluations and impacts of integrated pest management Farmer Field Schools (IPM‐FFS) in low‐income countries

Over the last few decades, the use of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) have been considered one of the best approaches to disseminate integrated pest management (IPM) practices that aim to reduce reliance on and misuse of chemical pest control methods in agriculture. However, the published empirical literature has been decidedly mixed in terms of the effectiveness of the IPM‐FFS approach to improve economic outcomes in the short‐term (e.g. reduce chemical use, improve profits), and the potential for scaling‐up and IPM dissemination in the medium‐term. This article briefly explores the empirical IPM‐FFS literature and draws implications for future research directions that can potentially enhance IPM knowledge diffusion methods (including IPM‐FFS) and increase the economic impact of IPM techniques in low‐income countries. We find that promising research directions to improve understanding of IPM dissemination and IPM impacts will need to involve: (i) interdisciplinary long‐run studies using rigorous evaluation methods; (ii) in‐depth assessments of spillover effects; (iii) careful examination of IPM and IPM‐FFS impact heterogeneity; (iv) evaluation of novel IPM packages with herbicide‐ and genetics‐centered components; (v) piloting and impact assessments of alternative IPM knowledge diffusion structures; and (vi) piloting and impact analysis of IPM dissemination and learning programs with private sector involvement. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry     

新疆半干旱地区辣椒疫霉病防治技术研究

研究了新疆半干旱地区辣椒疫霉病的发生流行与种植密度、灌水频率的关系。结果表明:栽培密度和高秆作物套种可明显控制病害的发生程度,随着密度不断增加,病害初始发生时间呈现逐渐向后推移的趋势;与高秆作物套种可明显抑制辣椒疫霉病的发生,约可推迟疫霉病初发期10d,发病率下降70%以上。高频率的灌水可控制病害的发生,而低频率的灌水有利于促进病害的传播和发生。该地区辣椒疫霉病的防治应采取:育苗前对苗床进行药剂处理,合理密植或者套种高秆作物,配以合理的灌水可有效的控制其发生流行。     

Impact of mirid (Creontiades spp.) (Hemiptera: Miridae) pest management on Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) outbreaks: the case for conserving natural enemies

Creontiades spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) are sucking pests that attack buds, flowers and young pods in mungbeans, Vigna radiata (L.), causing these structures subsequently to abort. If left uncontrolled, mirids can cause 25-50% yield loss. Traditional industry practice has involved prophylactic applications of dimethoate to control mirids at budding and again a week later. The present trial was initiated to highlight the dangers of such a practice, in particular the risk of a subsequent Helicoverpa spp. lepidopteran pest outbreak. A single application of dimethoate halved the population of important natural enemies of Helicoverpa spp., and caused an above-threshold outbreak of Helicoverpa spp. within 11 days. This shows that even a moderate (e.g. 50%) reduction in natural enemies may be sufficient to increase Helicoverpa spp. populations in mungbeans. As a result, prophylactic sprays should not be used for the control of mirids in mungbeans, and dimethoate should be applied only when mirids are above the economic threshold. Indoxacarb was also tested to establish its effect on Helicoverpa spp., mirids and natural enemies. Indoxacarb showed potential for Helicoverpa spp. control and suppression of mirids and had little impact on natural enemies.     

The influence of weather on the population dynamics of the rice stink bug and the implications for integrated pest management

The influence of weather on the population dynamics of Oebalus poecilus, the principal insect pest of rice in South and Central America, is examined. Light trapping was used for one year, but was soon discarded in favour of the more reliable sweep netting which was utilised to monitor populations in fields and non-cropped habitats from autumn 1999 to spring 2002. The results indicate that O. poecilus feeds on alternative host grasses on levées surrounding the rice fields. Adult bugs move into the fields in mid-January and mid-August of each year. In fields there are typically four generations per season, which are approximately four weeks apart. Adults move off the crop in April and October. Data presented here indicate that rainfall is critical to the ‘off-season’ survival of O. poecilus, and high rainfall during April to July and November to January causes increases in O. poecilus populations. This is particularly important given the recent extreme perturbations in the normal bimodal rainfall patterns caused by El Niño and La Niña events. The ability to predict the severity of O. poecilus populations from weekly rainfall data will provide a significant input into the development of IPM programme for O. poecilus.     

A systematic review of the literature reveals trends and gaps in integrated pest management studies conducted in the United States

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a broad‐based approach for addressing pests that negatively affect human and environmental health and economic profitability. Weeds, insects and disease‐causing pathogens (diseases) are the pests most often associated with IPM. A systematic review, widely used in other scientific disciplines, was employed to determine the most commonly studied IPM topics and summarize the reasons for these trends and the gaps. In a field synopsis of the literature, 1679 relevant published papers were identified and categorized into one of the following five broad areas: IPM and organic (organic), climate change and pests (climate), rural and urban IPM (rural and urban), next‐generation education (education) and advanced production systems (technology). Papers were examined in greater detail for at least one of the three main pests in a systematic review. A majority (85%) of IPM papers have been in the area of rural and urban IPM, primarily addressing agriculture (78%). Professionals, landowners and the general public were the focus of a majority (95%) of IPM papers on education. Technology is an increasing area of focus in the literature. Over the past 40 years, IPM papers have primarily (75%) addressed insects and been limited mostly to rural and urban settings. Climate change, technology and education specific to pest management studies are increasingly being published and will help broaden the focus that could result in increased adoption and development of IPM. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Products containing microorganisms as a tool in integrated pest management and the rules of their market placement in the European Union

Products containing microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses) can be used in plant production as an intervention as well as a prevention method for pest control. Their utilisation is strictly in line with the principles of integrated pest management, provided that they are effective and safe. The rules of registration of microorganisms for crop production in the European Union differ, depending on whether they are placed on the market as plant protection products or not. For over 20 years, uniform rules for registration of plant protection products have been in force. Currently, 36 microorganisms marked up to the strain are approved for use in pest control in the Community. The decision concerning market placement of plant protection products containing approved microorganisms is issued for each member state separately. The approaches to market placement of other products with microorganisms differ within the EU, ranging from a complete lack of requirements to long and costly registration procedures. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry     

Farmers' knowledge,perceptions, and management practices of the new invasive pest,fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Ethiopia and Kenya

This paper reports for the first time on farmers’ knowledge, perceptions and management practices of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Ethiopia and Kenya. A survey of 343 smallholder maize farmers was conducted. Most farmers in Ethiopia and Kenya had knowledge about fall armyworm; they could identify it mainly during its larval stage. Furthermore, most farmers in Ethiopia (93%) and Kenya (97%) encountered damage by fall armyworm in their farms. They estimated an average of 32% crop damage in Ethiopia and 47.3% of crop damage in Kenya, with an estimated yield reduction between 0.8 to 1 tonnes/ha. Nearly half of the farmers relied on chemical insecticides to control this pest. The majority (60%) of the farmers in Kenya perceived that insecticides were not effective in controlling fall armyworm as compared to most farmers (46%) in Ethiopia who perceived that chemical spray is effective for the control of fall armyworm. In Ethiopia, 26% of the farmers combined handpicking larvae with insecticide sprays, whilst 15% of the farmers practiced only handpicking. The present study highlights the need to develop management strategies for fall armyworm based on farmers’ needs and priorities.     

The development of integrated pest management for the control of mushroom sciarid flies,Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour) and Bradysia ocellaris (Comstock), in cultivated mushrooms

Mushrooms are susceptible to a range of diseases and pests that can cause serious crop loss. Effective pest and pathogen control is a very important factor for the maintenance of efficient production of cultivated mushrooms. Integrated pest management in mushrooms is reliant upon four main principals/elements: sanitation, exclusion, monitoring and pest control. Bradysia ocellaris (Comstock) and Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour) (Diptera: Sciaridae) are major pests of cultivated mushrooms, Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach. These pests cause losses in yield through larval damage of the compost, mycelium and sporophores, and affect the structural features of the compost itself. Adult flies of these species also act as vectors for the introduction of mites and fungal diseases in cultivated mushrooms. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry