Factors determining adoption of integrated pest management by vegetable growers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province,Thailand

Widespread use of highly toxic pesticides primarily for agricultural purpose has generated increasing concerns about the negative impact of pesticides on human health and the environment. Integrated pest management (IPM) usually seeks to minimize the use of pesticides and can be utilized to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment. A total of 220 vegetable farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand was interviewed with the objective of investigating the factors determining their adoption or non-adoption of IPM practices. The findings demonstrated that farmers had different uncompromising reasons for determining the use of IPM for their insect pest management. Higher costs of insecticides (91%), adverse effects of insecticides on human health and the environment (80%), and a greater risk of insect pests developing resistance to insecticides (28%) were the primary reasons for the adoption of IPM by vegetable growers in the study area. The reasons for the rejection of IPM practice were unsuitability of IPM for a large farm (52%), implementation difficulties (80%) and a greater belief in synthetic insecticides and their efficacy for target pest control (39%). A comparison between the IPM and the non-IPM farmers showed a significant difference (P < 0.01) in farmers' knowledge of pest management, which influenced IPM adoption or non-adoption. The IPM farmers had greater knowledge about identifying natural enemies and their beneficial role in controlling insect pests, about plant extracts and their efficacy in controlling insect pests and about sticky traps and their efficacy in monitoring natural enemies and controlling insect pests. For example, 24% of IPM farmers had knowledge of natural enemies whereas it was only 4% for the non-IPM farmers. A logistic regression model was fitted which showed that lower cost of pest management, better knowledge on IPM after training and availability of extension services were the factors which influenced farmers' adoption of IPM practice. The non-IPM farmers rejected adoption of IPM due to the common belief that natural enemies would not be effective in controlling insect pests and yields of vegetables would not be increased by practicing IPM.     

Pesticide use in rice and rice–fish farms in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Pest management practices among rice and rice–fish farmers and their perception of problems related to pests and pesticides were surveyed in the Mekong Delta. A total number of 64 different pesticides were identified during the survey. Approximately 50% were insecticides, 25% were fungicides and 25% were herbicides. The main insecticides used were pyrethroids (42%) carbamates (23%) and cartap (19%). Non-IPM farmers used twice as many pesticides as IPM farmers. Their application frequency and the amount of active ingredient used were 2–3 times higher per crop, as compared to IPM farmers. During the last three years IPM farmers estimated that they had decreased the amount of pesticides used by approximately 65%, while non-IPM farmers said that they had increased the amount of pesticide used by 40%. Also, farmers growing fish in their rice fields used less pesticide than farmers growing only rice, as pesticides adversely affect cultures of fish. Taking a long-term perspective integrated rice–fish farming with IPM practices provides a sustainable alternative to intensive rice mono-cropping, both from an economic as well as an ecological point of view.     

Cropping Systems and Integrated Pest Management: Examples from Selected Crops

SUMMARY

Cropping systems have been central to managing associated pests for centuries. This treatment focuses on the history, concepts, and the integration of available Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools/strategies into cropping systems. Pest assessments/diagnoses, IPM-decision-making aids, and examples of pest management in selected crops/cropping systems (wheat, soybean, corn, cotton, potato, and strawberry) as well as emerging opportunities and challenges are discussed. The evolving philosophy of IPM and the recently renewed emphasis on ecologically based pest management address the fact that significant levels of predation and/or parasitism are desirable insofar as they promote diversity and sustainability of agroecosystems. Thus, cropping systems are beginning to focus on soil and crop health as well as specific IPM and production goals. Although extensive efforts have been directed toward modeling the many interactions between crops, associated pests and the environment, the general implementation of a systems approach to integrated crop and pest management remains to be accomplished.     

Networking of integrated pest management: A powerful approach to address common challenges in agriculture

Integrated pest management (IPM) is facing both external and internal challenges. External challenges include increasing needs to manage pests (pathogens, animal pests and weeds) due to climate change, evolution of pesticide resistance as well as virulence matching host resistance. The complexity of designing effective pest management strategies, which rely less heavily on the use of conventional pesticides, is another external challenge. Internal challenges include organizational aspects such as decreasing trend in budget allocated to IPM research, increasing scarcity of human expertise, lack of knowledge transfer into practice and the communication gap both at country level and between countries, and lack of multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary IPM research. There is an increasing awareness that trans-national networking is one means to overcome such challenges and to address common priorities in agriculture. A large number of stakeholders (researchers, policy makers, growers and industries) are involved in the sector of crop protection, which needs to be coordinated through effective communications and dynamic collaboration to make any IPM strategy successful. Here we discuss a decade-long IPM networking experiences in Europe emphasizing how IPM research, implementation and adoption in Europe may benefit from a broader level networking.     

Perspectives of integrated pest management

Integrated pest management (IPM) programmes require joint interdisciplinary scientific efforts to assemble sound information about: (1) the ecological basis of the pest problem; (2) factors in the agroecosystem that can be manipulated to make the crop environment unfavourable for pests; (3) pest and natural enemy population trends to determine if and when pesticide treatments are necessary; and (4) the benefits and risks of the IPM strategy for agriculture and society. The IPM technology is complex and this is partly why implementation of IPM has been slow. Projections are that if IPM is adopted by agriculture, pesticide use could be reduced by 35–50% from present use levels. Concurrently there would be a reduction in environmental and social problems caused by pesticides.     

Chemical control of stored product insects with fumigants and residual treatments

Integrated pest management (IPM) programs that eliminate infestations and prevent economic damage in raw commodities, food storage facilities, and milling and processing plants typically involve chemicals. They are preferred because they are often the cheapest and most efficient strategies available. When evaluating pesticides, it is important to recognize the biological and environmental factors that can affect pesticide efficacy so the insecticide can be effectively used in control programs. We illustrate these concepts with data from research studies with cyfluthrin, a pyrethroid insecticide used as a residual surface treatment, and with data from developmental research with new fumigants. These chemical pesticides and others like them could have specific applications and strategies in an IPM program for post harvest pests well into the 21st Century.     

Farmers’ knowledge, perceptions and management of vegetable pests and diseases in Botswana

Vegetable farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of pests, diseases and pest management practices were investigated by interviewing 112 growers in Botswana between April and June 2004. Most of the farmers grew brassicae crops, Swiss chard and tomato, and considered arthropod pest problems as the major constraint to vegetable production. Bagrada hilaris Burm., Plutella xylostella L. and Brevicoryne barassicae L. were the most serious pests on brassicas, with red spidermites (Tetranychus spp.) being the most serious pests on tomato. Ninety-eight percent of farmers relied heavily on the use of synthetic pesticides to control these pests. Their decision to apply pesticides was mostly on noticing the presence of a pest or disease. An integrated pest management programme is needed to reduce over reliance on pesticides.     

A methodology to assess the profitability of Bt-cotton: case study results from the state of Karnataka, India

Bt-cotton varieties can control lepidopterous pests, hence offering the possibility to reduce chemical pesticide use. India, with the largest cotton-growing area globally, gave commercial approval for Bt cotton in 2002 and a rapid adoption of the technology is expected. This paper uses a stochastic partial budgeting approach that captures the key pest control properties of Bt cotton taking into account uncertainty of pest pressure, control effectiveness and prices to assess the profitability effects of Bt varieties and hence complements previous studies that generally excluded such issues. Results of the simulation model reveal that under the current price situation a prophylactic chemical control strategy dominates the use of Bt varieties in both, irrigated and non-irrigated cotton. The effect of a higher cotton price is assessed in a second scenario that depicts a Bt cotton variety with improved fiber quality than varieties currently approved for commercial planting. Under this assumption, the Bt strategy would be slightly better than the prophylactic use of chemical pesticides. The model can be extended to include pests other than the bollworm and correlations among variables, e.g. prices and yield, provided sufficient evidence for such correlation exists. Results of this analysis show the impact of uncertainty in the main variables that influence the profitability of Bt cotton and alternative crop protection methods.     

IPM for food storage in developing countries: 20th Century aspirations for the 21st Century

In tropical developing countries, especially in humid zones, pest infestation in stored food is inevitable. In the past, the focus of tropical storage pest management was on adapting pest control techniques with contact insecticides and fumigants that had proved effective in industrialized countries. Three decades ago it was still widely assumed that these techniques would continue to provide a panacea for the foreseeable future. At the end of the century, the reality is very different: widespread resistance; non-efficacy of surface treatments; no ‘fifth generation’ of pesticides; narrow choice of fumigants; and consumer demand for minimal or zero residues. In response, research on biorational alternatives has increased in recent years, especially on ‘additives’. By contrast, research on ecologically-based alternatives has stagnated. Studies of the synecology of storage pest communities remain very rare. Few authors have addressed the particular problems of IPM decision-making in storage, and in practice the emphasis is on pragmatic mixtures of control methods rather than a calculated application of optimum procedures in response to monitoring and risk assessment. At the end of the 20th Century, IPM in food stores is still an aspiration rather than a reality, and we still have much to learn about the ecology and behaviour of pests in the post-harvest system if we are to achieve an IPM approach to storage pests in the 21st Century.     

Relative toxicity of insecticides to the crucifer pests Plutella xylostella and Myzus persicae and their natural enemies

The widespread and intensive use of conventional pesticides, particularly insecticides, presents a major risk to natural enemies of target pests, as well as to the environment in general. The aim of this study was to investigate the differential intrinsic toxicity of insecticides to two key pests of crucifers, Plutella xylostella and Myzus persicae and their respective hymenopteran parasitoids, Cotesia vestalis and Aphidius colemani. Such knowledge can help inform effective integration of insecticides and biological control in IPM systems. Three insecticides generally regarded as being compatible with natural enemies (abamectin, spinosad and indoxacarb) and one compound regarded as harmful to natural enemies (lambda-cyhalothrin) were examined. A comparative measure of the intrinsic toxicity of fresh deposits of insecticides on Chinese cabbage leaf discs was determined for both pest and parasitoids species after exposure to insecticide for 24 h and 120 h, and after 24 h exposure to insecticide plus 96 h on untreated leaf discs. Differences in the susceptibility of pests and parasitoids to different insecticides were marked for P. xylostella and C. vestalis, LC₅₀ values being significantly lower for the pest species. Such differences were not observed for M. persicae and A. colemani. There was a direct relationship between dose, exposure time and toxicity for all insecticides tested. All insecticides tested showed lower toxicity to both parasitoids compared with P. xylostella, which suggests that for this pest species side-effects on parasitoids can be minimised through IPM practices that reduce exposure time to such non-target organisms.     

Effective invertebrate pest management in dryland cropping in southern Australia: The challenge of marginality

Despite research efforts spanning many decades, invertebrate pest control in arable farming systems is still heavily reliant on broad-spectrum pesticides. Yet industry wants to implement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles. We suspect that the lack of implementation to date reflects the unpredictable nature of outbreaks of pests and unpredictable profit margins, creating an environment where growers prefer to follow a cautious chemical-based approach. Using southern Australia as a case study, we argue for a new approach where the concept of rigid management strategies is abandoned in favor of landscape changes, host plant resistance, ecological indicators, reliable predictors and emergency intervention strategies. This approach needs to be based on developing more stable crop environments that can limit fundamental niches available for exploitation by sporadic pest populations, and increasing crop resilience to resident herbivores. Fall-back strategies, including broad-spectrum chemical control, may still be required to protect productivity at times when outbreaks of pest populations take place. These are likely to be unavoidable, particularly given emerging climate challenges.     

Managing storage pests of maize: Farmers' knowledge,perceptions and practices in western Kenya

Insect pests are a key constraint to effective utilization of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with damage caused by these pests in the stores of particular concern. Although a number of approaches have been advanced for control of storage pests of maize, uptake remains a challenge, with effectiveness of some approaches being questionable. We conducted a survey in western Kenya among 330 respondents using face to face interviews and focus group discussions to evaluate farmers' practices, knowledge and perceptions of storage pests of maize, and their current practices in managing such pests as a basis for development of efficient integrated pest management (IPM) approaches for the pests. Majority of the respondents stored maize in traditional granaries, with less than 10% of them using modern improved facilities, mainly due to inability to afford these. Majority of the respondents also cited attack of their stored grains by a number of insect pests, causing about 40% grain losses. The larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), sawtoothed grain beetle, Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), and maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), were perceived as the most common and damaging pests. Farmers' perceptions of pests were positively and significantly influenced by level of education and farming experience, indicating that education and experience build farmers' understanding of storage pests. Storing maize in unshelled form seemed to result in less pest attack, although majority of the respondents stored their maize in shelled form. Moreover, local maize varieties were perceived to be resistant to pests. The farmers applied various control methods, with sun-drying being the most popular practice. Usage of pesticides was minimal, mainly due to high costs, lack of information, and unavailability of appropriate and effective products. There were also other cultural methods applied, such as use of smoke and insecticidal plants. The respondents decried lack of training and extension services on storage pests and their management, underscoring the need to develop extension services. The underlying mechanisms of the perceived pest resistance in local varieties of maize and cultural pest management methods need to be established for exploitation in development of effective IPM approaches. There is also need to address the challenges hindering uptake of modern storage and control approaches.     

Movento, an innovative ambimobile insecticide for sucking insect pest control in agriculture: Biological profile and field performance

The tetramic acid derivative spirotetramat (brand name Movento^®), has shown an outstanding performance against sucking insect pests in laboratory and greenhouse assays as well as in semi-field and field trials. The product acts as an inhibitor of lipid biosynthesis and affects juvenile stages with additional effects on adult fecundity. There is no cross-resistance to any other insecticide. After foliar application spirotetramat penetrates through the leaf cuticle and is translocated as spirotetramat-enol via xylem and phloem, up to growing shoots and down to roots. This full ambimobility or two-way systemicity (phloem and xylem transport) ensures the control of hidden and soil living sucking pests after foliar application and protects new shoots. The worldwide field development of spirotetramat in Bayer CropScience AG resulted in numerous uses against many species of whiteflies, aphids, scales (soft and armoured scales), mealy bugs, psyllids and selected thrips species in vegetables, cotton, soybean, pome and stone fruit, grapes, hop, citrus, nut trees and banana. The new mode of action renders spirotetramat as an excellent rotation partner with existing products for the management of aphid, whitefly and psyllid populations, which are frequently resistant to conventional insecticides. Moreover, only low adverse effects have been found on beneficial arthropods, which make the product suitable for modern integrated pest management (IPM) systems. These unique properties contribute to safeguarding the crop yield potential both in quality and quantity. In this paper, the new chemistry is presented, compared with standard insecticides and novel applications in IPM systems are discussed.     

Adaptation of approaches to pest control in low-input agriculture

Adaptation and acceptance of pest control in low-input agriculture will be largely influenced by the approach used to manage soil-borne pests. A single tactic approach, consisting of the routine application of a broad spectrum biocide or biocides to disinfest soil is not compatible with the goal of minimizing inputs and will not have wide-scale applicability in low-input production systems. An integrated pest management (IPM) approach can be compatible with low-input systems but is often difficult to implement due to inherent constraints associated with identifying and treating organisms in the soil. Additionally, IPM will require more intensive knowledge of biological interactions in the soil and the timely management of that information, which may not be practical in low input systems. A pro-active approach, in which the production system is designed to avoid the outbreak of pests, minimizes the use of inputs in crop production by reducing the need for intervention treatments. Traditionally, the impact of soil-borne pests is not considered until after the production system has been designed and implemented. Combining biologically based pest control methods with a production system designed to minimize their impacts offers the most sustainable approach for low-input agriculture.     

Current status of IPM in apple orchards

Apple integrated pest management (IPM) research and the development of apple IPM programs through transfer technology activities of Extension and Advisory personnel and Crop Consultants has been intense and continuous for over 20 years, and current apple IPM programs vary largely from one country to another and even in different regions within a country. Factors that account for these differences include the number of major and minor pests, available technology, commitment to IPM approach, and financial and personnel support for IPM research, demonstration, and implementation. This short review discusses the basic approaches for managing arthropod pests and pathogens included in current apple IPM programs.     

德州地区棉花常见病虫害诊断与防治方法

为了山东德州地区棉花生产的稳定发展,科学防治病虫害,力求把产量损失降到最低。通过长期的棉花病虫害防治研究与实践,总结出了棉花苗期阶段立枯病、红腐病、棉蚜、棉叶螨等,棉花成株阶段轮纹斑病、棉铃红粉病、棉铃疫病、白霉病、枯萎病、棉铃虫、棉根蚜和棉盲蝽等德州地区常见病虫害的症状、为害特点和防治方法。     

Pest management challenges for smallholder vegetable farmers in Zimbabwe

Smallholder vegetable production is expanding rapidly in Zimbabwe both for local sale in urban markets and for export. Pest management practices of 12 small-scale vegetable farmers in two areas of Zimbabwe were surveyed over a five-month period to gather information on crops, pests, diseases and crop protection methods. A range of serious pests and diseases affects non-indigenous vegetables such as Brassicas, tomatoes, onions and cucurbits. Although farmers use some cultural control methods and occasionally botanical pesticides, pest control is predominantly by the use of conventional synthetic pesticides. These are usually applied through lever operated knapsack sprayers although some less orthodox application methods are occasionally used. Results are variable and there are concerns about risks to sprayer operators, consumers and the environment (including natural enemies) due to shortcomings in protective clothing, large deviations from recommended doses and excessive run-off to the soil. Field trials were carried out to evaluate a modified sprayer lance which directs the spray upwards rather than downwards in an attempt to place more of the spray under the leaves where most of the arthropod pests are found. The ‘V lance’ as it is called improved the uniformity of spray coverage on the upper and lower leaf surfaces and is expected to improve efficacy of spraying and/or offer the opportunity to reduce doses or spray frequencies. Farmers who tested the device reported good results and gave constructive feedback for future improvements. The smallholder vegetable sector requires support in the form of improved access to existing pest management information (in an appropriate form) and focused research targeted at the knowledge gaps which currently impede implementation of sustainable IPM.     

转基因棉花田间棉盲蝽的发生与防治

随着抗虫棉种植面积的增大,棉盲蝽近几年来演变为棉花上的主要害虫,并且其发生和为害呈逐年加重的趋势。简述了近年来我国棉盲蝽综合治理技术的研究进展,包括棉盲蝽发生日趋严重的原因、发生程度的特点、防治策略、防治指标与防治适期,以及简单介绍了防治棉盲蝽各种行之有效的治理措施,为棉田棉盲蝽的防治技术及治理方案提供依据。     

Selective control of mite and collembolan pests of pastures and grain crops in Australia

Control of invertebrate pests in broad-acre agriculture largely relies on the application of broad-spectrum pesticides, however resistance problems and environmental concerns are driving a search for alternatives including more selective products. Here we explore the feasibility of using novel chemical groupings in the control of problematic pests that attack germinating pastures and grain crops in Australia. A modified laboratory bioassay is described for testing the response of several invertebrate pests to pesticides that have contact and systemic/translaminar properties. Two contact pesticides (fenitrothion and gamma-cyhalothrin) and three pesticides with strong systemic/translaminar properties (lambda-cyhalothrin, abamectin and diafenthiuron) showed promise for control of the collembolan Sminthurus viridis and four mite pests (Halotydeus destructor, Balaustium medicagoense, Penthaleus falcatus and Bryobia sp.). No single pesticide emerged as the most efficacious against all these pests, highlighting the need for correct pest identification before making control recommendations. Incorporating these new chemical options into pest control programs may help to control emerging pests and counter pesticide resistance issues. Selective pesticides in particular are likely to be compatible with integrated control programs that promote the establishment and maintenance of beneficial natural enemies.     

辽宁省玉米田农药使用现状、存在问题与建议

针对辽宁省玉米田农药使用情况进行深入调查,结果表明,当前辽宁省玉米田病虫草害防治以化学农药为主,用量最大的除草剂为莠去津,用量最大的杀虫剂是二嗪磷,用量最大的杀菌剂为福美双.在农药的使用过程中,存在农民对农药科学使用技术认知不足、用药技术落后、抗药性发展等问题.建议采取普及农药科学使用方法和安全使用准则、推广高效高质量...