Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an environmentally sensitive approach to managing pests. Instead than pre-emptive application of pesticides or application upon the first sighting of a potential pest, IPM uses current, comprehensive information to determine the most suitable course of action. Think of it like a continuum.
Broadly, there are four steps involved in Integrated Pest Management
1. Set Action Thresholds
Determine at which point pest populations or environmental conditions must be met before action must be taken
2. Monitor and Identify Pests
Not every bug or weed requires control. Being able to accurately identify the organisms in your ecosystem is critical
3. Prevention
Implement cultural preventions such as crop rotation and pest-free rootstock as a preventative measure.
4. Control
If action thresholds are met and a pest is identified, an appropriate control method is chosen, with the least risky ones chosen first. If further monitoring indicates the previous control methods aren’t working, then additional pest control methods would be employed
For more information on IPM, the US EPA has some additional information.
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