Integrated Pest

Management
(IPM)
 What is IPM?
 Ecosystem-based
strategy that focuses on
long-term prevention of
pests or their damage
through a combination of
techniques such as
biological control,
habitat manipulation,
modification of cultural
practices, and use of
resistant varieties.
 Reasons for IPM
 Chemical pesticides
can impact the human
health and
ecosystems
 Example: DDT, a
pesticide, can
accumulate in the
fatty tissue of
animals and affect
bird reproduction
 Reasons for IPM
 Insects can
become resistant
to chemical
pesticides
 Approximately
500 species of
insects are
resistant to one
or more pesticides
 How does IPM work?
 Reduces the
amount of
chemical
pesticides by using
three possible
approaches:
 1. Mechanical
 2. Biological
 3. Chemical
 Mechanical approach:
 Limits the pest's access to
food, water and harborage
sites (i.e. proper storage of
food/water supplies or
installation or repair of
physical barriers to future
pest intrusion use of
mechanical devices (i.e. traps)
 Example – Japanese beetle
traps
 Biological approach:
 Introduction of a
natural enemy of the
pest
 Example – Lady
bugs feed on aphids
and can be
introduced to reduce
the aphid population
on crops
 Chemical approach:
 Pesticide
applications that
have minimal risks
associated
with their use
 Using the least
amount of chemicals
that will still be
effective
Insects use of Pheromones
 Pheromones are chemicals emitted by an animal
that signals another animal of the same species.
 Example: female gypsy moths emit a pheromone
to attract a male
 Pheromones and IPM
 Pheromones can be
utilized to catch or
deter insects
 Example:
Pheromone “traps”,
which contain the
pheromone emitted
by the female gypsy
moth can be set to
catch male moths
Advantages & Disadvantages
of IPM
 Reduce chemicals being  Individual using IPM
used must be educated about
 May reduce # of the options
pesticide resistant  Takes more time to
insects initiate than simply
 Only uses chemicals if “spraying for pests”
necessary  Must be closely
 Long term benefits monitored for best
(lower cost for results
chemicals, better for  Natural enemies of
environment and human pests may become pests
health) themselves
 References:
 http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/IPMPROJEC
T/about.html
 Raupp, M.J. – University of Maryland
 http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/urban/cropsci/c1
1struc/sipm.html
 LFSC 680 course notes