Pest control in coffee

Coffee pests have been estimated to cause losses of about 13% of the world yield but are most serious in Africa, particularly where Arabica coffee is grown. Coffee pests are normally indigenous and except for the berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari) there has been little movement between the main production areas. There is a great variety of pests but because the crop is perennial, evergreen and only grown in areas without climatic extremes, pest populations only rarely become intolerable, being held in check for most of the time by parasites, predators and diseases. Routine spraying of insecticides in coffee plantations is undesirable for these kill parasites and predators and often result in pest outbreaks. An effective but simple integrated control system has been evolved over many decades in East Africa, using a combination of cultural, biological and chemical control. Pest numbers are monitored continuously by growers and insecticides are used as selectively as possible. The system is ideally suited to areas where labour is cheap but technology is expensive.     

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。     

Advocating a need for suitable breeding approaches to boost integrated pest management: a European perspective

Currently, European farmers do not have access to sufficient numbers and diversity of crop species/varieties. This prevents them from designing cropping systems more resilient to abiotic and biotic stresses. Crop diversification is a key lever to reduce pest (pathogens, animal pests and weeds) pressures at all spatial levels from fields to landscapes. In this context, plant breeding should consist of: (1) increased efforts in the development of new or minor crop varieties to foster diversity in cropping systems, and (2) focus on more resilient varieties showing local adaptation. This new breeding paradigm, called here ‘breeding for integrated pest management (IPM)’, may boost IPM through the development of cultivars with tolerance or resistance to key pests, with the goal of reducing reliance on conventional pesticides. At the same time, this paradigm has legal and practical implications for future breeding programs, including those targeting sustainable agricultural systems. By putting these issues into the context, this article presents the key outcomes of a questionnaire survey and experts' views expressed during an EU workshop entitled ‘Breeding for IPM in sustainable agricultural systems’. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Pest Management in Traditional Tropical Agroecosystems: Lessons for Pest Prevention Research and Extension

Based on current agroecological theory and IPM practices, this review explores the role of traditional practices, involving site selection, soil management, timing of planting and harvesting, crop resistance, intercropping, weed management, harvest residue management, post-harvest management, natural enemies management, mechanical control, repellents and traps in the natural regulation of potential pests. In synthesis, the literature suggests that although pest management professionals focus their efforts on pest control, the preventative approach taken by traditional farmers is more effective. Potential constraints to the implementation of this preventive pest management approach include:(1) lack of integration of ecological theory and pest management, (2) lack of cooperation among social and biological scientists, and (3) lack of real efforts to work with farmers as equals and support mechanisms that protect their knowledge. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Plant Protection and Production in Modern Society1

Many currently existing agricultural production techniques have been developed in total reliance on effective chemical pest control. Today, however, it is becoming clear that chemical pest control has a number of limitations, and its ever increasing costs may well make it a limiting factor in agricultural production. This has already occurred in a number of cotton growing areas. The need for increased world food production will require improved pest control methods. If no special precautions are taken, we will undoubtedly end up in many other crops with a situation similar to that of cotton. In view of the reduced availability of new pesticides, those currently available should be used in the optimal way. At the present time, the integrated pest control approach is the best means of accomplishing this. The introduction of such programs will require official support through legislation or technical assistance. In the future, various new developments in pest control are to be expected. Greater reliance will be placed on the use of computer science. Further effort will be needed in areas such as crop loss assessment, stored product pests, technical assistance to farmers and pesticide selectivity. Closer international collaboration on plant quarantine matters and pesticide registration are essential for the future of pest control.     

中国农业害虫综合防治研究进展:2018年－2022年

近5年来, 我国在害虫变态发育与生殖调控、害虫滞育调控、害虫迁飞、害虫与共生微生物互作、害虫对杀虫剂的抗性、害虫与寄主植物的化学通讯、害虫对植物抗虫性的适应、害虫对作物种植结构调整的响应、害虫对全球气候变化的响应等农业害虫发生新规律新机制解析方面取得了系列重要进展, 同时推进了抗虫作物、RNA农药、行为调控和生态调控等害虫防控新技术与新产品的研发; 提出迁飞性草地贪夜蛾分区治理、多食性盲蝽区域防控、地下害虫韭蛆绿色防控和抗性麦蚜精准化学防控等害虫绿色防控新模式新体系。根据国内外农业害虫综合防治科技发展趋势和中国农业高质量发展现实需求, 我国需进一步重视农业昆虫交叉学科前沿和新兴技术领域, 以产业需求为导向, 强化害虫防控基础理论创新, 创制智能监测预警和绿色防控新技术、新产品, 创新集成区域绿色防控和跨区协同治理技术体系, 为保障国家粮食安全、助力乡村全面振兴提供强有力的植保科技支撑。     

Integrated pest management for oil palm in Papua New Guinea

The global production ofpalm oil has increased very rapidly, more than doubling between1970 and 1980. Oil palm is the second most important cash crop inPapua New Guinea (PNG), and in 1995 its export value wasUS$128 million. The principal pests of oil palm in PNG are agroup of tettigonids, collectively known as Sexava, which causedamage by defoliating the oil palm tree. Severe defoliationcauses reductions in photosynthesis and fruit production,resulting in yield losses. Control of these pests is currentlyreliant upon the use of trunk-injected monocrotophos. Because ofdifficult application methods, poor monitoring procedures, andthe difficult environment, chemical control usually occurs toolate to prevent significant yield losses. Furthermore theapplication of chemicals is expensive and environmentallyundesirable. There is enormous potential to improve the currentpest management practices, and several biological control agentscould be used in an integrated pest management (IPM) system.Agronomic practices directed towards developing biodiversitywithin the oil palm cropping system, and improved pest monitoringand surveying could also be components of this IPMscheme     

Integrated crop management, the basis for environment friendly crop protection of potatoes

Relatively large amounts of pesticides are needed to control diseases and pests in modern, intensive potato production. Integrated crop management offers a way of reducing the need for pesticides. It aims to reduce costs and improve the quality of the product and of the production methods, while maintaining soil fertility and the quality of the environment. The components of integrated crop management are described. Prevention of diseases and pests has high priority. If diseases or pests are present, non-chemical control methods are preferred and chemical control is based on economic criteria and the monitoring of the soil and crops. The contribution of integrated crop management to the control of two important fungal diseases, late blight (Phytophthora infestans), and stem canker (Rhizoctonia solani) and of one pest, potato cyst nematode (Globodera spp..) is described. The prospects for further development of integrated crop protection are discussed.     

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.     

Integrated management of insect pests,diseases and weeds of cotton in Africa

Integrated pest management systems were developed originally in response to the appearance of insect populations with resistance to common insecticides. Cotton with its heavy dependence on insecticidal sprays was one of the first crops in which the effectiveness of control declined due to resistance in the target pests. Although insecticide resistance is more of a problem in large scale production systems, the IPM approach can also benefit the smallholder by reducing the number of sprays required with consequent cost savings. Where crop growth is adversely affected by diseases, competition from weeds or poor management, the full benefit of insecticide spray programmes cannot be realised. To be fully effective, insect control should therefore be integrated with other crop protection activities. This paper reviews the insect pests, diseases and weed problems of cotton in Africa and discusses the possibilities for extending the principles of IPM to cover all the crop protection activities with practical examples drawn from both small scale and larger scale production systems.     

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.     

Management of Stored Wheat Insect Pests in the USA

Management of stored-grain insect pests by farmers or elevator managers should be based upon a knowledge of the grain storage environment and the ecology of insect pests. Grain storage facilities and practices, geographical location, government policies, and marketing demands for grain quality are discussed as factors influencing stored-grain insect pest management decisions in the United States. Typical practices include a small number of grain samples designed to provide grain quality information for segregation, blending and marketing. This low sampling rate results in subjective evaluation and inconsistent penalties for insect-related quality factors. Information on the efficacy of insect pest management practices in the United States, mainly for farm-stored wheat, is discussed, and stored-grain integrated pest management (IPM) is compared to field-crop IPM. The transition from traditional stored-grain insect pest control to IPM will require greater emphasis on sampling to estimate insect densities, the development of sound economic thresholds and decision-making strategies, more selective use of pesticides, and greater use of nonchemical methods such as aeration. New developments in insect monitoring, predictive computer models, grain cooling by aeration, biological control, and fumigation are reviewed, their potential for improving insect pest management is discussed, and future research needs are examined.     

Pesticides in cereal production

A cereal grower will normally attempt to maximise his returns from resources used without prejudicing the future. Historically, for the control of weeds, pests and diseases growers have preferred husbandry methods and the use of ‘resistant’ varieties. Economic pressures, technical developments and subsequent changes in farming systems demand more reliance on pesticides. The adoption of the Common Agricultural Policy and the relatively higher cereal prices improve the cost: benefit ratio from their more extensive use. Additionally, quality standards arising directly or indirectly from EEC legislation, where these can be influenced by pesticide application, will further encourage their routine application. In the longer term, increased fixed costs will encourage the grower to insure against crop losses by the use of prophylactic pesticide applications where appropriate. New systems of production to reduce fixed costs will be adopted, probably involving further use of pesticides. Growers will always wish to contain variable costs as far as is possible: as better forecasting of disease and pest epidemics is developed prophylactic treatments will be discarded. Examples of the economic benefits or penalties of adopting alternatives to pesticides are given.     

Effect of cassava mosaic disease,soil fertility,plant spacing and their interactions on cassava yields in Zanzibar

Improvement of farmers' decision-making has been recognised as critical for the implementation of IPM, yet practitioners lack sound knowledge on the 'how and why' of farmers' decision-making processes. This study explored the perceptions, pest management practice, decision tools and sources of information of smallholder farmers growing cotton in India and vegetables in Kenya. Farmers trained under an Insecticide Resistance Management and two IPM Farmer Field School projects were compared with untrained farmers from the same localities, using individual interviews and participatory group analysis methods. Trained farmers' decision-making was enhanced, by the use of more decision tools and new sources of information and technologies and they were generally more confident in their pest management strategies than untrained farmers. As a result, trained farmers reduced their pest management costs but did not always obtain higher gross margins. Issues of gender, sustainability, economics and group action are discussed, along with recommendations for research and extension to take a closer look at farmers' decision-making processes in cash and subsistence crops.     

The Successful Development and Implementation of an Integrated Pest Management System for Oil Palm in Papua New Guinea

Production and trade in oil crops has expanded in response to an increasing world population and improved living standards. The global production of oil palm has increased rapidly over the last 30 years, and palm oil is now the world's second most important vegetable oil after soybean. Oil palm is an important cash crop in Papua New Guinea (PNG), with about 80,000ha in cultivation, grown both on large-scale plantations and by smallholders. The principal pests of oil palm in PNG are a group of insect species from the Tettigoniidae family (Orthoptera), known collectively as sexava. Three species of sexava are pests of oil palm in PNG, Segestes decoratus, Segestidea defoliaria and Segestidea novaeguineae. These insects cause damage by feeding on oil palm fronds and defoliation levels can be very severe where high populations occur. Severe defoliation causes reductions in photosynthesis resulting in yield loss from lower fruit production. During the last five years an integrated system has been developed for the management of sexava. This integrated pest management (IPM) system has the following components: (1) a knowledge of the biology and ecology of the pest, (2) economic thresholds, (3) monitoring system for the pest, (4) precise targeting of chemical control agents, (5) biological control, and (6) cultural control. The IPM system is sustainable and environmentally acceptable to the industry.     

Poultry Integrated Pest Management: Status and Future

Modern commercial poultry production under large companies is expanding worldwide with similar methods and housing, and the accompanying arthropod and rodent pest problems. The pests increase the cost of production and are factors in the spread of avian diseases. The biology, behavior and control of ectoparasites and premise pests are described in relation to the different housing and production practices for broiler breeders, turkey breeders, growout (broilers and turkeys), caged-layers, and pullets. Ectoparasites include Ornithonyssus fowl mites, Dermanyssus chicken mites, lice, bedbugs, fleas, and argasid fowl ticks. Premise pests include Alphitobius darkling beetles, Dermestes hide beetles, the house fly and several related filth fly species, calliphorid blow flies, moths, cockroaches, and rodents. Populations of these pests are largely determined by the housing, waste, and flock management practices. An integrated pest management (IPM) approach, tailored to the different production systems, is required for satisfactory poultry pest control. Biosecurity, preventing the introduction of pests and diseases into a facility, is critical. Poultry IPM, based on pest identification, pest population monitoring, and methods of cultural, biological, and chemical control, is elucidated. The structure of the sophisticated, highly integrated poultry industry provides a situation conducive to refinement and wider implementation of IPM.     

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.     

Nonchemical management of soilborne pests in fresh market vegetable production systems

ABSTRACT Nonchemical methods including host resistance, organic amendments, crop rotation, soil solarization, and cultural practices have been used to control soilborne pests in fresh market vegetable production systems. Their suitability as alternatives to methyl bromide will depend on the approach to pest management used by the grower. Traditionally, methyl bromide is used in production systems that rely on the single application of a broad-spectrum biocide to disinfest soils prior to planting. Non-chemical methods are not suitable for a single tactic approach to pest management because they do not provide the same broad spectrum of activity or consistency as fumigation with methyl bromide. Nonchemical methods are compatible with an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, where multiple tactics are used to maintain damage from pests below an economic threshold while minimizing the impact to beneficial organisms. However, adoption of IPM is hindered by the paucity of economically feasible sampling programs and thresholds for soilborne pests and by a reluctance of growers to commit additional resources to the collection and management of biological information. A novel approach to the management of soilborne pests is to design the crop production system to avoid pest outbreaks. Using this "proactive" approach, a tomato production system was developed using strip-tillage into existing bahia-grass pasture. By minimizing inputs and disruption to the pasture, growers were able to reap the rotational benefits of bahiagrass without cultivating the rotational crop. While minimizing the need for interventive procedures, a proactive approach is difficult to integrate into existing crop production systems and will require several years of testing and validation.     

Influence of pesticide information sources on citrus farmers' knowledge,perception and practices in pest management,Mekong Delta,Vietnam

In 1998-99, about 150 citrus farmers and 120 pesticide sellers were interviewed in Can Tho and Dong Thap province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Media, pesticide sellers and extension staff had different influences on farmers' pest perception and management practices depending on the region and intensity of the cropping system. Pesticide sellers were notified by about 95% of the farmers about their major pest problems, and the type of pesticides sold in their shop was primarily based on farmers' demand (87%) and then on company promotion (56%). Those farmers relying on pesticide sellers used more of the banned insecticide methyl parathion. Probably for fear of being accused of illegal practices, none of the pesticide sellers mentioned that they recommended this product or that farmers asked for it. In the intensive Tieu mandarin cropping system, media and extension activities increased farmers' knowledge of difficult-to-observe pests such as the citrus red mite Panonychus citri and thrips, Thrips sp. and Scirtothrips sp. Since extension was weak in sweet orange, those farmers exposed to media only reported the damage symptom of mites, not knowing the causal agent. Media alone seemingly did not suffice to acquaint farmers with these small organisms. Farmers getting advice from the media advertisements applied more different pesticide products and sprayed insecticides more frequently, whereas the extension has stimulated the use of acaricides and increased the number of both insecticide and fungicide sprays. The traditional practice of biological control with the ant Oecophylla smaragdina might be endangered with growing media influence and when extension activities remain confined to chemical pest control. Constraints and potentials of different information sources are discussed in relation to developing IPM programmes for citrus.     

促进农作物病虫害绿色防控技术推广应用——2011至2017年全国农作物重大病虫害防控技术方案要点评述

本文介绍并评述了2011-2017年全国农作物重大病虫害防控技术方案要点。这些技术方案主要从贯彻病虫害综合治理原则, 实施重大病虫分区治理、实施联防联控策略, 遵循“节本增效”技术路线, 促进绿色防控技术措施与专业化统防统治融合等方面, 来促进农作物病虫害防控方式的转变和绿色防控技术的推广应用。特别是从增强农田生物多样性入手, 组装配套生态调控措施, 在采用非药剂预防的基础上大力推广保护利用天敌, 减少农药的使用, 实现绿色生态工程控制。