What is Pest Management and Why is it Important?
What is pest management? Pest management is the process of controlling pests and assessing their risk. This involves identifying pests and considering their biology and environment. Then, determining the most effective pest control methods. Monitoring helps to determine which pests are most at risk and when they should be used. This article will discuss the various methods of pest management and help to choose the best one for you.
Plant cultivars that are resistant towards pests
There are many factors that can determine if a cultivar is resistant or not to a particular pest. Antibiosis, which refers to a plant’s ability or inability to control the physiological processes that pests use to their lives, is one of these factors. It can also be caused by other characteristics of the plant. Another factor is tolerance, or a plant’s ability to withstand an attack, while still producing a higher yield than its susceptible counterpart. Tolerance levels can also be determined by looking at the amount of healthy leaves, flowering compensation, or plant vigor.
Another important factor that affects the acceptance of insect-resistant crop varieties is the cost of preventing or controlling insects. While insecticides are a common method of controlling pests, resistant cultivars can save a farmer’s crop yields by limiting their damage to the plant. Insect-resistant cultivars also require fewer pesticides than susceptible varieties, and the costs of controlling insect populations can be dramatically reduced by using plant-resistant cultivars.
Biological Control
In recent years, biological control has become more popular. With the introduction of exotic entomophagous species from other countries, biological control agents have become more popular. Many accidental introductions are linked to global trade and tourism. Many introduced organisms are candidates for classical biological control, but their introduction threatens the native species and communities. As a result, the International Organization for Biological Control of Noxious Animals and Plants/West Palaearctic Regional Section (IOBCP/WPRS) created a Commission in 2003. The Commission brought together the industry, regulators, and scientists and produced coordinated guidelines for use in Europe.
Successful biological control relies on extensive preliminary studies that aim to gain a thorough understanding of the pest, the environment, and its natural enemies. It can take up to ten year for a new chemical to be approved for use in biological control. Some biological control agents are effective against pests like E.formosa.
Cultural control
Pest control should not be limited to chemical applications. It should also consider cultural practices and the management of the environment. Cultural control methods include choosing crops and soils that are adapted to the site and are resistant to pests. These include the timing of planting and harvesting, and the use of plants with natural enemies to control pests. Intercropping and rotation are other cultural practices to control pests and make the area more pest-free. However, cultural methods aren’t for everyone. Some people may not be comfortable using chemical pesticides.
Cultural methods include trap crops, natural predators, and chemical and biological control. Japanese beetles prefer trap crops, which include white roses and mustard plants. Sunflowers and turnips can also be used as trap crops for corn maggots. You must purchase in advance insect-resistant landscape plants. Some vegetable varieties are resistant to pests, but they are not widely available. Nurseries will need to place special orders.
Integrated pest management
The tools and techniques used in integrated pest management (IPM) will depend on the type of business and the facility. They are based on climate, ingredients, finished products, and conditions inside and outside the facility. A successful IPM plan will identify pests and their entry points and control them through various techniques, including identifying and removing breeding grounds and conditions. Facility should install several traps and monitor the thresholds for action to control rodents or insects.
Integrative pest management programs are designed to control pest populations while minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals. These methods include both non-chemical pest control and the judicious use pesticides. They can be used both in urban and rural settings, and they are not limited to specific pests. There are many benefits to using an integrated pest management program. Here are some of them: