‘Silver bullet’ is a metaphorical term referring to a simple, magical solution to a complex problem. Farmers will often look for a silver bullet to cure pest and disease problems but unfortunately, in agriculture, silver bullets are almost always a myth. Complex problems require bespoke solutions. These solutions often combine a range of integrated approaches to become more productive and more profitable.
In this article, we focus on how to optimise farm productivity and profitability through pest management strategies: the key principle is to think of this as a complex problem with a strategic response, rather than a simple chemical cure-all that will likely cost you more money with less efficacy than an integrated strategy.
Crop protection is the practice of managing plant diseases, weeds, and pests which damage crops and forestry. This practice could be done by:
- Pesticides (crop protection agents).
- Biological pest control (beneficial insects, viruses, fungi, and bacteria).
- Agrotechnical approach or cultural pests control (the use of specific farming practices to create unfavourable ecological conditions for the development and reproduction of pests. For example, mulching, trellising, crop rotation, and growing in greenhouses).
- Plant breeding (the art and science of changing the qualities of plants to produce preferred characteristics, improved crop variety through selection and crossing by pollination, grafting and budding, and GMOs.
The best-known control method for insect pests is insecticides. This involves the spraying of chemical insecticides; either biopesticides or chemical pesticides. Notwithstanding the success of these methods, the use of chemical insecticides poses a threat to the environment by eradicating beneficial insects and posing a risk of toxicity to consumers. Furthermore, pests develop resistance to chemical pesticides, which over time reduces pesticide effectiveness.
Pesticides Application Approaches:
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- Prophylactic application (taking action ahead of time to prevent pest invasion).
- Reactive application. Take action to reduce the pest population when you record the presence of certain pests on the field.
Why Should You Incorporate IPM on your Farm?
The goal of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is to minimize threats to the environment and public health by utilizing a combination of biological, cultural, chemical, and physical methods to identify, control, and mitigate the danger posed by pests.
Rather than eliminating the pest, the goal of an integrated pest management (IPM) program is to minimize crop damage to levels that can be sustained economically. To eradicate pests is not the goal of IPM programs. So, having a solid understanding of crop and pest ecology is highly helpful. The best outcomes will be obtained by encouraging natural pest management approaches and emphasizing crop growth that minimises impacts on agroecosystems.
Costs and pesticide consumption can be reduced drastically with a well-designed IPM program. Additionally, it will lessen the need for fertilizers and lessen the rate at which pesticide resistance develops.
IPM also places a strong emphasis on using pesticides which are safe for the environment. Pesticides like these target the pest only and do not affect other species (such as pollinators). This is a far more economical and sustainable approach to managing a productive farm.
Some of the main reasons people prefer to use IPM are:
- It is safer: people and the environment are less exposed to potentially harmful chemicals. This in turn helps reduce pesticide resistance, meaning we can use these chemical control methods when we need them.
- It is more effective: it gets to the root of the problem that is causing these pests to be persistent.
- It is cost-effective: it reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers, so while it may cost more in the short term it saves more money in the long term.
Breaking Down the Integrated Pest Management Cycle
IPM is a cycle of several stages, which are continuous throughout the growth of a crop and can be applied at the same time.
Step 1- Knowledge.
Every IPM program should start with a strong knowledge and understanding of key pests. What is the lifecycle of the pests or disease in question? What are the environmental conditions where pest or disease pressure is greatest? What is the preferred growing area/location of the pest or pathogen?
Step 2- Prevention.
These actions are done at the farm to prevent pests and disease development, beginning at site selection and land preparation. Select a site that has few or no issues of pest and disease outbreak.
Soil preparation: A lot of farmers take various steps to give their plants an advantage over other plants, such as selecting the right location, testing the soil beforehand(ensure soil pH is optimal), rotating crops, building raised beds when needed, and adding sufficient organic matter.
Seed selection: Which kinds of crops are grown there, and how many varieties exist? Cultivators sow crop varieties which can withstand environmental pressures. Also, changing the timing and spacing of planting can protect your crops against specific diseases and pest attacks.
Crop nutrition: To increase the vitality of the crop, establish the proper watering schedule and meet its nutrient requirement. Farmers can use specialised weather forecasts to help them manage pests throughout crop growth, allowing them to apply fertiliser and insecticides at optimal times for maximum effects. A healthy crop will be less susceptible to pests and disease.
Farm management: Keeping the farm clean is another strategy to stop the spread of diseases and pests. For instance, maintaining good farm hygiene is essential to reducing the frequency and severity of black pod disease in cocoa plants. Initially, as soon as you notice an infestation, remove all infested pods from the trunk; this should be done regularly. It is not advisable to leave the harvested-infested pods beneath the cocoa tree as this will act as a breeding ground for more infestation. The disease will spread and attack the flower cushion if the infected black pods are not removed from the trunk on time. This will result in fewer flower formations and a reduced fruit set. Pest and disease transmission can be slowed down by sterilising farm tools and equipment.
Step 3 – Observation
Crop monitoring can help by just looking out for a pest on the crop. These pests are trapped and the damage is monitored. Pest trapping helps farmers pinpoint when pests have arrived and decide whether a control is justified.
Scouting is the most effective method for monitoring diseases and pests under the IPM program. The foundation of any successful IPM program is regular and thorough scouting.
The goal of the IPM program's scouting is to both minimise pesticide spraying and select products carefully. If, following your scouting exercise, you discover that the area is home to a large number of beneficial insects, you will need to select a solution that will kill the pests while leaving the beneficial insects alone. To keep an eye on the types of pests that are present on the farm, use pheromones and sticky traps.
Before treating pests on the farm, the farmers must wait until pest populations reach a scientifically determined level that could cause economic damage. Until that threshold is reached, the cost of the yield and quality loss will be less than the cost of control. This is one of the main questions that arises under IPM management.
Step 4 – Intervention
An intervention is required when the pest population exceeds the economic threshold.
- Cultural or Mechanical controls: An example of cultural control is weeding or manually removing insects from a plant. It is important to remember, however, that this whole process used to control pests is strongly influenced by the weather forecast and threshold levels.
- Biological control: Another intervention method in IPM is the use of biological controls, a form of pest control which uses other living organisms. This involves using the natural enemy to control pests. Some biotechnology companies such as Biobee, Oxitec, and Andermatt are involved in producing a range of biocontrol products which are used in IPM programs. For example, red spider mites can be controlled by introducing their natural predator, Phytoseiulus persimilus, which eats the adult red spider mites and their eggs.
Eco-T from Andermatt is a fungal inoculant that contains Trichoderma asperellum for the control of plant root diseases and for enhancing plant growth on all crops. It protects the plant against root pathogens and assists root development. It increases plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress conditions. It complements compatible chemical fungicides in IPM programs.
Eco BB by Andermatt contains spores of the fungus Beauveria bassiana for the effective control of whiteflies, Tuta absoluta, leaf miners, false codling moths, mealybugs,aphids, thrips, and red spider mites in a wide variety of crops. The fungus spores occur naturally in the soil throughout the world. Once the spores come into contact with the insect pests, they germinate and secrete enzymes that specifically weaken the insect cuticle and continue to grow feeding on the internal organs of the insect. The dead organism is then enveloped in a mat of white conidia. Eco-Bb is ideal to be used in IPM and resistance management programs.
- Chemical control: The most well-known technique for managing insect pests is the application of insecticides, which can be either synthetic (e.g. acetamiprid and emamectin benzoate) or biopesticides, such as azadirachtin, and paraffinic oil. The majority of synthetic pesticides are not eco-friendly, and the issue of pests becoming resistant to them means that long-term treatment costs will increase. Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides must be used as chemical control if the infestation of pests continues beyond economically feasible levels. To avoid harming the ecosystem as a whole, this chemical regulation must be species-specific.
Step 5 – Evaluation and Planning
After the crops are harvested, the management system is documented and assessed. Review the monitoring record. It is crucial to keep track of the weather, insect traps, and treatments because doing so can help you make decisions more quickly in the future.
In summary, effective pest management in agriculture requires an integrated approach, combining knowledge, prevention, observation, intervention, and evaluation. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emphasizes minimizing environmental and public health threats through a blend of biological, cultural, chemical, and physical methods. This sustainable approach not only reduces costs and pesticide use but also promotes healthier crops and ecosystems, ensuring long-term agricultural productivity and profitability.
Call a Demeter agronomist today on 024 529 7047 or email info@demeterafrica.com for more information on IPM programs.
