Integrated Pest Management.

Holistic approach to pest management include o Biological control, cultivation techniques, minimal use of synthetic pesticides Pest and Crop are considered as part of an ecological system IPMs goal is to reduce the pest population to an economically acceptable level, not completely eradicate the pest population IPM strategies include o Crop rotation to disrupt pest o Creation of habitat for predators of pest population o Using pest resistant crop varieties o Intercropping makes the spread of pests more difficult o Altering planting times to disrupt pest life cycles. o Physical methods such as vacuums or spraying hot water is used o Narrow spectrum pesticides are used only when the potential crop loss is greater than the cost of spraying. Advantages of IPM o Reduction of health problems o Requires a great deal of education for farmers and landowners

o Can be costly and not as immediately effective o Pest population is usually not completely irradiated

Biological Pest control Refer to the use of chemicals that are directly derived from living organisms. Advantages of bpm o Control of pest without negative environmental impacts o Potential for use with organic agriculture Negatives of bpm o Non target organisms might be affected o Disruption of native food chains o Unwanted proliferation of introduced species o Complete eradication of pest population is usually not possible o Can be costly