We could classify integrated pest management as a middle ground between intensive farming and organic farming. It involves taking advantage of chemicals the industries offer us but using them with extreme care, in fully controlled doses, and at specific times of cultivation. We will tell you all this and much more in this article on integrated pest management.
Integrated pest management, otherwise known as integrated pest control can be defined as a strategy in which all possible means are used to manage the crop in the most efficient way possible.
The optimal integrated pest management program
- Biologic Control
The search for balance between organisms (and microorganisms) is the ultimate goal pursued in agriculture. It is when these imbalances appear that one organism stands out above another. Moreover, pathogens have a chance to win, because they feed almost exclusively on the crop we grow, so they will have enough food to increase their population and become more aggressive.
The use of predators, parasites, and other protection organisms keep these pathogens at bay, which reduces their population, their aggressiveness, and, therefore, crop damage. Used efficiently, and with the recommended dose, they can prevent the presence and attack of many pests, hence, keep your home pest free.
- Work And Crop Management
We could not establish a percentage, but we must say that crop management has a significant influence on the production result. In agriculture, there are a series of tasks that condition such important things as the attack of pests and diseases, the contribution of fertilizers, irrigation, etc.
With integrated pest management, there are some very interesting practices to be employed when the minimum levels of the pest or disease do not reach thresholds for the use of chemical products.
- Sampling
Sampling is based on measuring the percentage of the crop affected by a pest. If this percentage is below the recommended levels in integrated production, the crop will not undergo chemical treatment, but other biological or mechanical control solutions will be evaluated.
In this regard, there are times that a pest or disease can get out of hand in a matter of a few days, but what is sought in the integrated management of pests and diseases is the constant supervision of the crop, to stop effectively, the attack of insects such as roaches, spiders and bugs.
- Chemical Control In Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management does not limit the use of synthetic plant protection products, since it is not organic farming, but rather a middle ground, as we have mentioned before.
In this regard, integrated production seeks the use of authorized chemical products according to the country at the time and the right dose, with a maximum number of applications.
It is understood that when chemical control is allowed, it is because it is guaranteed that there would be no more logical and coherent solution to control the pest or disease and that it will not go further.
