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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management

169

INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT

The goal of pest management is to manage pests effectively, economically, and

safely. Insects, weeds, plant diseases, slugs, birds, and mammal pests can be

managed usi ng Integrated Pest Management (IPM). With IPM, you only need to

reduce pest numbers below a damaging level.

It is not necessary to eliminate all
pests.

The IPM approach was first developed for

agricultural pests. Since the 1980s, it
has been successfully applied to:

Landscape pests

Forestry pests

Structural pests

Home and garden pests

IPM helps decrease the need for chemical pesticides. This reduces costs and

environmental risks.
Chapter
7
Learning Objectives

Completing this chapter will help you to:

Define I ntegrated Pest Management

and describe the parts of an
IPM program.

Know why correct identifi

cation and knowledge of pest biology is
crucial when managing pests.

Know the role of monitoring in pest management and give

examples of common methods.

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
IPM is a decision-making process that he
lps to prevent pest problems. With IPM
programs, all information and treatment methods are considered in order to

manage pests. This should be effective, affordable, and safe for the environment.

Elements of any IPM program include:

1.

Prevention
: Organisms are kept from becoming problems by planning
and managing ecosystems.

2.

Identification
: Pests and beneficial organisms are identified.

3.

Monitoring
: Pest and beneficial organism™s populations are watched, as
well as pest damage, and the environment.

4.

Injury and Action Decision

: Injury and action thresholds are used to
know when to treat pests.

5.

Treatments
: Treatments (or a combination) are used, including cultural,
biological, physical, mechanical, beha
vioural, or chemical methods. The
goal is to control pests with little impact on th e en vironment.

6.

Evaluation
: The effectiveness of pest management plans are considered.

Principles of Integrated Pest

Management

Learning Objectives, cont™d.

Describe injury and action thresholds and know the difference

between them.

Describe fiv e categories of pest

treatments and give examples.

Know the factors to consider

when choosing pest treatments.

Know the importance of evaluati

ng pest management results.

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Advantages of IPM include:

Long-term answers to pest problems

Protecting environmental and human health by reducing pesticide use

Reducing harm to beneficial organisms

Preventing creation of pesticide resistant pests

Providing a way to manage pests

when pesticides cannot be used

Prevention

Prevention is a key step in IPM. IPM prevents problems by changing the wa y

crops, ornamentals, buildings, or other sites

are managed. Avoiding pests is often
cheaper and gives better results in the l
ong run. Waiting until problems occur can
create a reliance on treatments. Preventing
pest problems protects plants with no
treatmen t co st. If prevention does not eliminate p ests, their numbers are at least

lower. This makes them easier to control.

Cultural or physical controls (described later) can be considered preventive. You

might choose disease resistant plant speci

es to avoid some disease problems.
Sanitation is a big part of prevention. An
example would be cleaning a warehouse
to deny food and water to rodents.

Identification

Not all plant damage or decline is caused

by pests. Crops, ornamentals, lawns, and
other plants can be damaged by extreme heat, cold, or wind. They can also be

damaged by physical injuries from equipment,

lack of nutrients, human activity, or
pet urine. Many typ es of pest damage look
the same, but controls for individual
pests can vary. You must know what the probl
em is before choosing a treatment.
When a pest is identified, you must find information on its biology and life cycle.

Elements of an IPM Program

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
To plan an IPM program, find out:

When pests will be present

What they eat

Where they hide

The stages of life that are easiest to control

What natural enemies exist

Beneficial organisms (e.

g., insects) are often
mistaken for pests when found on damaged

plants. They are actually there to prey on

the pests that cause damage. You must be

able to recognize beneficial organisms

before deciding if treatments are required.

For example, if enough lady beetles are

present in aphid colonies, a pesticide may

not be needed to control the aphids.

Understanding the biology of pests and

beneficial organisms can help in making

pest management decisions:

Knowing the life cycle and growth

stages of a pest allows you to target
treatments to times when the pest is

most exposed. This is important if

the treatment only works for a short

time, or during certain stages of the

pest™s life.

Knowing the rate of reproduction

for a pest can help when choosing
the time and number of treatments.

Pest species that have only one

generation a year tend to grow

more slowly than species with many

generations each season.

Knowing the rate of reproduction for beneficial organisms helps in
deciding if the beneficial organism
s will be able to control the pest
population naturally, or if a different treatment will be needed. Some

species have one generation pe

r year. Others have many.

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Understanding pest behavior can help in choosing the time and place of
treatmen t. Some pests are only active at certain times of the day or in

certain places. Knowing this allows you to target pest management efforts.

Identify Pests and Beneficial Species

Applicators can learn to identify comm

on weeds, insects, vertebrate pests, and
plant diseases. It is ideal to have a sample of the pest, to make sure that it is

identified correctly. This may not always

be possible. Some pests (e.g., plant
diseases) are often identified by th
e damage or symptoms they cause.

If a pest cannot be

identified you can seek the

help of someone with

more experience, or a
professional.

Some provinces have

government or private

diagnostic laboratory

services to identify pests.

This usually involves a

fee.

Identification and biology of pests and be

neficial organisms can be learned from:

Identification guides, reference books, and government or scientific

publications

Government or private pest monitoring services

Representatives or technicians from pest management or pesticide

companies

Government pest management specialists

Universities and colleges

The Internet and other electronic resources

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
Monitoring

Crops, ornamentals, buildings or other sites can be checked, or monitored, for the

presence of pests. Monitoring gives th

e information needed to make sound
decisions on managing pests. Regular monitoring makes it possible to tell where

pests are, the size of the population, and if

it is increasing or
decreasing. This helps
when deciding whether treatments are n
eeded, and the most effective time and
place.

A pest monitoring program consists of:

A series of regular inspections and counts, or estimates, of the size of the

pest population

Written records of observations and the counts found during each

inspection

Monitoring can be as simple as k

eeping regular notes of monthly visual
inspections. It can be as complex as perf
orming detailed, weekly count in which
the size of the pest population is estimated.

It is important to do a good job when m

onitoring pests. A good
 monitoring program
can reduce the need for pest treatments an
d save money. It may also provide early
warning that problems are beginning. The ea
rlier the problems are found, the easier
they are to address.

Monitoring can be used to:

Tell if pests are present and in what numbers

Find pest damage or symptoms of disease

Look for weather conditions (tempera ture or humidity) tha t favour the
development of the pest (including plant diseases)

Look for the life stages of the pest

that are most responsive to treatment

Tell the growth stage or health of a h ost plant or a nimal

Tell if beneficial organisms ar

e present and in what numbers

Identify wha t can be changed to improve the effectiveness of the

treatment or prevent future pest problems

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There are many types of monitoring m

ethods and tools. Methods include visual
inspections and counting and measuring methods.
Visual Inspections

A visual inspection is the most basic way to monitor for pests. Visual inspections
are:

Close and careful examinations

to see what pests are present

Done when and where they are needed

Recorded in writing

Visual inspections take less time than counts, but the information that is found

can be limited. There are no numbers that

can be compared from one inspection
to the next. The same person should be responsible for doing visual inspections of

a site each time. The value of the notes taken during this time depends on the

experience and judgment of the monitor.

Visual inspections are useful to:

Check for the presence of pests or pest damage

Check for the presence or absence of beneficial organisms.

Find large problem sites (e.g., weed

y patches or infected crop areas).

Find conditions that promote pest problems (e.g., entry points for rats in
warehouses).

Check plant health and other site characteristics.

Counting and Measuring Methods

Counting and measuring pest populations pr

ovide more detailed information than
visual inspections. Counts can be compared from week-to-week or year-to-year.

The value of the results does not dep end on the judgment of th e person doing the

monitoring. The monitor needs to be trai

ned in taking samples and doing counts.
The compiled information can then b e used to make pest mana gement decisions.

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Common methods to monitor include counting:

Insects or da maged areas on samples o f plant parts

Pests found in a measured area (e.g., the number of weeds or insects in a

square metre of turf)

Insects, rodents, or fungus spores caught in traps

Crop insect pests caught in sweep nets

Pests knocked into beating traps fr

om tapping tree trunks or limbs

Days or hours with weather conditions that favour plant disease

Counting is useful to:

Estimate the size and spread of a pest population

Compare records between sites or dates

Establish injury levels and action thresholds

Evaluate the effect of treatments on pest populations

Sampling Theory

Counting methods often involve taking

samples (e.g., using sticky traps in a

greenhouse and counting the number

of pest insects found on th em, or

selecting measured areas of turf and

counting the number and types of

weeds present). The goal is to take

enough samples to get a good estimate

of pest numbers in the whole a rea.

Estimate quality depends on

sample
size
and
sample randomness
.
Figure 7-3

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S
AMPLE
S
IZE

The greater the number of samples counted,

the more likely it is that the results
will give a good estimate. Ten to fifty sa
mples are often required. There is a limit
to how many samples can be taken. Be
fore monitoring, you must decide how
many samples are needed for accuracy.

To determine the number of samples needed:

1.

Take 10 samples. Count the number of pests (or signs of damage, or

beneficial organisms, etc.). Add up th
e total and divide by 10 to get the
average.

2.
Take 40 samples, count the same way, and calculate the average.

3.

Compare the two averages. If they are wi

thin 10Œ20% of one another, it is
likely that taking 10 samples will be
enough. This shows that the results
did not change that much when more samples wer e taken.

4.

If there is a large diff

erence (greater than 20%)
between the two averages,
it means that 10 samples are not e
nough. Try the average of 15, 20, or
more samples until a number is found that gives a result similar to that of

40 samples.

S
AMPLE
R
ANDOMNESS

It is necessary to take random samples. This ensures that results reflect the entire
site and are not influenced by the person doing the sampling. Random sampling
means picking samples by chance. You do
not look first and decide which samples
to collect. Random sampling is just as important as getting enough samples. This

allows a more accurate estimate of the pest situation. If samples are not random,

the pest situa tion can appear better or worse than it really is.
This method of estimation is more
useful in situations (e.g.,
landscapes) where a rough estimat
e of a pest population will
do. It may not be accurate enough
to monitor some crop pests.
In that case, injury and action thresholds may need to be
determined.
(
See Ch . 7: In
j
ur
y
and Action Thresholds
)
.

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management

A sampling plan is used to ensure that

samples are random. Decide on a sample
plan ahead of time and stick to it. Sampling plans include:

Laying a grid pattern on a map and ch oosing where samples will be taken
on the grid

Taking samples at points that have be

en planned in advance (e.g., every
fifth plant in a row) or at one-metre
intervals along a line drawn between
two points

A visual inspection is not random. It is focused on places where pests are most

likely to be. This does not reflect th e whole pest situation. It is not possible to

compare counts from non-random sampling with those of random sampling. The

same methods must be used each time to compare results.

Frequency of Monitoring

The wa y in which you monitor sh ould depend on th e pest and type of site.

Monitoring for insects is often done weekly.

It should be done during a time when
damage is expected. Weeds in turf migh
t be counted only once or twice a year.
Checks for fungal diseases on plants may
be needed every few days during warm,
humid weather. If records are kept, the information can be used in the future to

pinpoint the best time to look for specifi

c pests. This keeps costs down by not
monitoring when pests are not likely to be present.

Injury and Action Thresholds

With IPM, a few pests can be tolerated. It

is only necessary to take action when
pest numbers reach a certain level. This level is called a threshold.

Injury Threshold
The injury threshold is the level at whic
h pest numbers are high enough to cause
unacceptable injury or damage. The injury level is the maximum number of pests that

can be tolerated.

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Action Threshold

The action threshold is the point at which treatment should take place to prevent

the pest population from reaching injury

threshold. The action threshold will
differ with the type of treatmen t. It depends on h ow the treatment works.

For pesticides that act quickly, the action threshold might be just before a pest

population reaches the injury threshold leve

l. For slower treatments such as the
use of biological controls, the action threshold should occur earlier when pest

numbers are lower. The action thresh old ca

n also be determined for a time when
most of the pests are in a treatable st
age (e.g., larval stage for insects).

With aphids, for example, the action th

reshold for bringing in aphid predators
(biological control) would be when the aphid population is low. This is because

predators need time to reproduce and c

ontrol the aphids. The action thresh old for
chemical control using a pesticide wo
uld occur when the aphid population is
higher. A pesticide acts immediately, an
d a larger population of aphids can be
controlled more quickly than if a bi
ological control option was chosen.

Figure 7-2: Thresholds

may be different for some

pests based on the type

of crop damage it causes.

Because the root is the
marketable portion of the

rutabaga, it has a lower

action threshold for

cabbage root maggot

damage than cabbage,

where the root is not
marketed.
Figure 7-1: Action and Injury Thresholds

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Injury and a ction thresh olds have b een
well studied and established for some
crops. These take the cost of treatments
and crop value (both yield and quality)
into account. This is used to determine if
 the cost of treatment is justified. Few
injury thresholds have been establishe
d for landscape ornamentals. For these,
injury thresholds depend on how eas y it is to s ee the damage. Injury thresholds

also depend on how much damage people are willing to accept. For some

structural pests, such as rodents in food processing plants, there is no tolerable

level of pest population. Injury and action

threshold are not as important for these
situations as prevention and monitoring.

To help in defining injury and action thresholds, information may be available

from:

Government and scientific texts

Pest management experts

Universities or colleges

Grower organizations

Threshold information may not always be av

ailable. It ma y be necessary to begin
by estimating damage based on previo
us experience or on th
e expectations of
clients or site users. By keeping good
records and evaluating the IPM program
each year, it is possible to refine and improve thresholds over time.

Treatments

All available information is used in

an IPM program to select the best

treatments. Two or more treatments

are often used together. Most

treatments fall into one of the

following groups:

Cultural

Mechanical/Physical

Biological

Behavioural

Chemical

Figure 7-3: Customers have a different tolerance level for pests. They are
not always willing to accept the treatments that best fit an IPM program.

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Cultural Control

Cultural controls disrupt the pest or

host life cycle. This makes the environment
less suited to support the pest. Some of
these treatments are also considered
preventive. Cultural controls keep pests from developing or spreading.

Cultural controls include:

Rotating crops to stop or
slow the growth of a pest™s

population, such as avoid

nematodes and soil-borne

plant diseases

Using optimum growing

conditions to produce

healthy plants

Using sanitation (for

example, alternate hosts for
pests can be removed.

Breeding and overwintering

sites can be cleaned up.)

Choosing pest resistant

cultivars or species

Figure 7-5: Pest resistant and pest

susceptible cultivars. On the left a potato

plant that is resistant to the disease affecting

the potato plant on the right.
Figure 7-4: Crop rotation over a number of
years can reduce pest problems for some
or all of the crops being grown.

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Mechanical/Physical Control

Although some textbooks may separate

physical and mechanical controls, there

are many similarities. These treatments

use equipment, devices, barriers, or

extreme temperatures to reduce pests.

Mechanical/physical controls include:

Mechanical cultivation of soil to

kill weeds or over-wintering

insects

Mowers and brushing

equipment for plant control

Traps for insects, rodents,

molluscs, or other pests

Screens, plants collars, netting,

or other barriers

Vacuum equipment for pests in

field crops or buildings

Freezers to control pests in

stored products

Flame, hot water, or infrared

light for weed control

Noisemakers or other pest-

repelling devices

Biological Control

Biological control involves the use of a

living natural enemy of a pest. Some are
sold commercially for release in large numbers. Beneficial i nsects are used to

control pests in greenhouse vegetables

and outdoor crops. There are many kinds
of organisms used as biological controls
. These include disease organisms, mites,
birds, and animals.

Biological controls include:

Releasing predatory or parasitic insects to attack insect or weed pests

Conserving natural predators and parasites

Figure 7-6: Agricultural tilling

kills weeds either in a crop or
before a crop is planted.

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Using grazing animals to control weed s

Using disease organisms to control insects or weeds

The use of parasite and predator insects (and
all biological controls) requires a good
understanding of biology. Rele
ase must be planned for the right time. Most biological
controls are highly perishable
, so they need to be hand
led with care and must be
released soon after being recei
ved. Most species are effective on one or a few species of
pests. They may only provide good control under certain conditions (temperature,

humidity, length of day) or on certain crops.

Biological controls are registered

as pesticides in Canada by
the Pest Management Regulatory Agency.
Figure 7-7: The cinnabar moth is used to control tansy ragwort, a
weed in pastures, rangelands and along roadsides.

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Behavioural Control

For this type of treatment, a pest™s natural behaviour is used to suppress the

population. Behavioural controls include:

Releasing insect pheromones. (These are chemicals produced by insects to

send signals to others over a large area. Sex pheromones can be used to

confuse male insects and disrupt mating.)

Using pheromones, plant attractants, or

other lures to attract pests to traps
or toxic baits

Releasing sterile male insects to pr

event pests from reproducing (e.g.,
codling moth)

Chemical Control

A pesticide is designed to kill, control, re

pel, attract, or mana
ge pests. Any product
that claims to do this is a pesticide under the
Pest Control Products Act
and
Regulations. Chemicals that act as plant growth regulators, plant defoliants, or

plant desicca nts are also p esticides.

Pesticides are grouped by their properties. They can be:

Selective

Non-selective

Residual

Persistent in the environment

Quick to break down (non-persistent)

Selective pesticides
are toxic to som e species, wi th little or no effect on
other species.
Non-selective pesticides
are toxic to a range of species. Beneficial
organisms and non-target life can be harmed.

Residual pesticides
remain effective on a treated surface or area for
some time after application.

Persistent pesticides
remain active for months or years before breaking
down. Some persistent pesticides can build up in animal or plant tissues.

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Non-persistent pesticides
do not remain active in the environment for
more than a year. They often break down into inactive compounds within

days or weeks.

Pesticide Resistance

Overuse of some pesticides

can result in pest populati
ons that are resistant to
them. This is often noticed when the usual
application rate or timing of a pesticide
fails to provide control.

Resistant pest populations develop when

a few individuals survive a pesticide
application because of a genetic difference. When these pests reproduce, they pass

on resistant genes to their offspring. Whe

n the same pesticide is used over and
over, it kills the susceptible insects, leavin
g the resistant insects behind to breed.
The entire population is soon made up of pesticide resistant individuals.

When a pesticide application does not work, some applicators may then try

maximum label rates. This increased selection pressure can speed up the

development of resistance.

Figure 7-8: Pesticide resistance increases with repeated

applications.

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
A pest population that becomes resistant ma
y not be able to
be controlled with
pesticides. Pest populations that have de
veloped resistance to one pesticide may
also resist other pesticides with similar
chemical p roperties. The use of registered
pesticides should be managed to prevent or
slow pest resistance. This will allow
pesticides to remain effective as pe
st control agents for a longer time.
Pesticide resistance can be avoided or slowed by:

Using pest prevention methods when possible

Using a number of treatments (particularly non-chemical)

Using pesticides only when monitoring shows they are needed (e.g.,
waiting until action thresholds have been reached)

Alternating pesticides from different chemical groups so that no single

group of pesticide is used over and over

Environmental Considerations for Treatments

Pest populations that have developed resistance to one

pesticide may also be resistant to other related pesticides.

Figure 7-9: Consider all environmental

conditions before spraying!

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Observing environmental conditions at, or near, a proposed treatment site can
help when making decisions. Environmen
tal conditions can affect the safety and
effectiveness of a treatment. Wind speed
and temperature are important when
using chemical (pesticide) treatments. Weat
her can also affect biological or other
non-chemical treatments.

Environmental conditions include:

Temperature
- A beneficial organism such as a parasite may require a
certain temp erature to reproduce quickly and control a pest. Some

pesticides lose their effectiveness or break down quickly at extreme

temperatures.

Relative Humidity
- Some plant diseases do not develop when relative
humidity is low. Other plant diseases do not develop when rela tive
humidity is high. Some herbicides are less effectiveness when relative

humidity is high; others, when it is low.

Precipitation
-

Rain can reduce pesticide effectiveness by washing it off a

treated surfa ce. Wet conditions can increase the effectiveness o f parasitic

nematodes used to control root pests.

Air movement
- Winds can spread pests. They can also carry pesticides or
biological control insects away from the application site.

Sensitive areas
- A chemical control may not be advised or allowed if
there are fish-bearing waters nearby.

Topography
- Steep land can discourage the use of some types of
application equipment as well as physical or mecha nical equipment. Valleys
can have wind patterns that interfere
with the use of insect pheromones as
behavioural controls.

Treatment Selection

The aim of IPM is to prevent unacceptable dama ge and treatments tha t are not
needed. Choosing the right treatment (or combination) requires some thought.

Treatments should only be used if expe

rience and monitoring information shows
that pest

numbers are likely to increase to the injury threshold.

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
Applying the same treatment over and ov
er can stop pests from causing damage.
However, it:

Is expensive

Promotes pesticide resistance

Harms non-target species

Can cause environmental damage

To decide if a treatment is wise, benefits must be weighed against costs and

potential problems. Information is needed to select the best treatment. This can

include:

Information on the pest™s biology, natural enemies, and preferred hosts

Monitoring records

Injury and action thresholds

Local environmental conditions

Treatment characteristics

Monitoring records are used with injury an

d action thresholds to determine timing
of treatments. Selected treatmen ts sho uld:

Be less hazardous to humans

Be less toxic or damaging to non-target life and the environment

Produce long-term results

Prove to be cost-effective over time

In an IPM program, it is common to use

severa l treatmen ts together to control
pests. Combined treatment methods are of
ten mo re effective than using only one
method. Even if the effect of each method
is small, they can add up to adequate
control. If a pesticide is to be used, it
must be compatible with other treatments.
Some less toxic or non-residual pesticid
es can be used shortly before using
biological controls.
Always check pesticide labels for precautionary statements on
environmental con ditions that will affect how a p esticide
works. Package labels on biol
ogical controls usually have
information on conditions that will harm the organisms.
Environmental conditions needed for the best effect are also

stated.

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Information on pest treatment methods includes:

Books and periodicals (government and scientific texts, pest management
industry journals, and trade magazines)

Pest management representatives (pest management firms, technicians and

industry associations, product suppliers, and pest monitoring service firms)

Government pest experts

Universities and colleges

The Internet and other electronic resources

Keeping Treatment Records

You must keep detailed records of all treatments, i ncluding the type of treatments

chosen, dates of treatment and weath er condition s at th e time of the trea tment a s

well as shortly after it. Records should pr

ovide a detailed history of pest problems
encountered and treatment results.

Records are useful for:

Evaluating different treatments

Comparing pesticides

Fine-tuning equipment settings (e.g. pump

pressure, nozzle types and travel speed of
application equipment)

Planning pesticide re-entry times and harvest

dates

Solving problems that come up after treatment

(e.g., failed treatments, crop or property damage,
and liability issues)

Planning future treatmen ts

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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
Treatment records for pesticide applicat
ions should include the following:

Applicator™s name (license or certificate number, if it applies)

Date, time, and location of application

Target pest(s )

Pesticide (Product name and PCP Act number)

Rate of application and amount used

Type of application equipment and settings

Weather and other conditions that can affect the application

Preharvest interval (where applicable)

Environmental effects, problems, or safety issues that arise

Evaluation of treatment effect

Evaluation of Pest Management Results

The effectiveness of any IPM program must be evaluated. You should note

whether pest management results were achieved, and how the program could be

improved.

An IPM program can be evaluated using

Noting any changes, including preventive actions that can avoid future
problem

Changing injury and action thresholds in light of experience

Planning for seasonal

pest infestations

Tracking the costs and benefits of a pest management program

Visual inspections or counts of pests and non-target organisms before and

after treatments.

Post-treatment data versus pre-treatment monitoring records.

Treatment records (methods, dates, times, rates, costs, etc).

Feedback from clients or site users.

Possible pest managemen t improvements and preventive action s that can
be taken.

Information on insects, diseases, weeds, and vertebrate pests

can be found in s
p
ecific stud
y
manuals
.

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Communication is important when devel

oping and putting an IPM program in
place. A large amount of information must be taken into account and applied to

solve a pest problem.

Local pest experts, government

employees, trade associations, and

other IPM practitioners work to gather

local experience and information.

Workers on farms or workers in

businesses involved in pest management

must communicate with each other. As

well details of the IPM program and its

goals should be made clear to these

workers. There should also be some

method to relay needs and observations

to employers or supervisors. Everyone

should clearly understand his/her role if

an IPM program is to succeed.

It is important to pass along IPM information to customers and to promote the

benefits of an IPM program to potential or

future clients, and the general public.

Clients should know what needs to be d

one, and why. This will help to address
their concerns and promote customer satisfaction.
Communication

APPLICATOR CORE
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Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
Summary

Integrated Pest Management (I

PM) programs use all available
information and treatment methods to
manage pest populations. This
should be effective, inexpensive,
and environmentally sound. IPM is
based on the idea that it is often on
ly necessary to keep pest numbers at
acceptable levels. The entire populatio
n need not be eliminated. An IPM
approach improves lo ng-term pest
management. Pesticide use and costs
are often reduced. IPM includes:

Prevention

Identification

Monitoring

Injury and action thresholds

Treatments

Evaluation

Prevention is the key because it keeps pests from causing problems.

This avoids damage and saves money.

Correct identification is needed

for choosing proper monitoring and
treatment. You must know what
the problem is before choosing
methods to monitor and treat it.

Monitoring provides information needed to make sound decisions on

pest management. This information

comes from visual inspections or
counting and measuring methods.
Regular counts or measurements
provide numbers that can be compar
ed over time, regardless of who
does the monitoring. Enoug h random
samples must be taken to get a
good estimate of the pest population.

In IPM programs, it is often only

necessary to act when pest numbers
reach a high level (threshold). This involves:

The injury threshold - The maximu

m tolerable pest population

The action threshold - When tr

ea tment should take place to
prevent the pest population fr
om reaching injury threshold

Treatments are needed when experi

ence and monitoring results show
that pest numbers are likely to
reach the injury threshold.

APPLICATOR CORE
Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
193
Summary, cont™d.

In an IPM program, two or more treatments can be used in a

coordinated approach. Treatments

can be grouped as follows:

Cultural controls disrupt pest life

cycles or make the environment
less suited for survival.

Mechanical and physical controls use equipment or devices,

barriers, or temperatures to reduce pest populations.

Biological controls are living

natural enemies of a pest. These
include insects, disease organism
s, birds, and other animals.

Behavioural controls use a pest™s

natural behaviour to suppress
the population.

Chemical controls include most pe

sticides. Active ingredients are
naturally derived or synthesized.
They are used to kill, attract,
repel, or alter the growth of pests.

Pesticides are often grouped as select

ive or non-selective. They can be
residual, persistent, or quick to break down. A major problem with

overuse of pesticides is the developm

ent of resistant popul ations. Careful
management of pesticides slows th
e development of resistance. This
allows pesticides to remain effective if needed.

Treatments should be:

Least hazardous

Likely to produce long-term results

Cost-effective over time

Environmental conditions should be ta

ken into account before applying
treatments. These can affect safety a
nd effectiveness. Detailed treatment
records must be kept. These provid
e a record of pe
st problems and
treatments. Treatment records can be
used to plan
improvements and
answer questions after treatment.

An IPM program must be evaluated fo

r effectiveness. Ways to prevent
pest problems and improve the
program should be identified.
Communication between all involved in an IPM program is important.
APPLICATOR CORE
194
Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management

Answers are located in Appendix A of this manual.

1.

What are th e advantages of

using an IPM program?

a.

b.

c.

d.

2.

Why is prevention key to an IPM program?

3.

Monitoring is used in an IPM program to:

a. Discover if pests are present and in what numbers

b. Find pest damage or symptoms of disease

c. Determine if beneficial organisms are present

d. All of above

e.
a
and
b
only

4.

Explain the difference between injury

threshold and action threshold.

Self-test Questions
APPLICATOR CORE
Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management
195

5.

List five treatments used for pest control. Give one example of each.

6.

Why is communication important in an IPM program?

7.

A monitoring program should take enough samples to get the most

accurate estimate of the pest population.
True or False?

8.

Visual inspections include counting

the number of pests on plants.
True
or False
?

9.

In an IPM program, only one treatment is used for a given pes t problem.
True or False
?
APPLICATOR CORE
196
Chapter 7: Integrated Pest Management

Books:

Common Sense Pest Control. 1991. W. Olko

wski, S. Daar and H. Olkowski. The
Taunton Press.715 pp. Bio-Integral Reso
urce Center, P.O. Box 7414, Berkeley,
CA 94707 Tel: 510-524-2567 Fa
x: 510-524-1758 www.birc.org

IPM Journa l
:
IPM Practitioner. Bio-Integral Resource
Center, P.O. Box 7414, Berkeley, CA
94707 Tel: 510-524-2567 Fax:
510-524-1758 www.birc.org

IPM Training
:
Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Centre
for Continuing and Distance Education,
PO Box 550, Truro, NS B2N 5E3 Tel:
902 893-6666 Fax: 902-895-5528
www.nsac.ns.ca/cde/coursedes.htm

Pest Identification and Disease Diagnosi s Services:

Wildwood Labs, 53 Blossom Drive, Kent

ville, Nova Scotia B4N 3Z1 Tel: 902-
679-2818 Fax: 902-679-0637 Email: [email protected]
Web:
http://www.wildwoodlabs.com

References for Further Reading