INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT
By C. Kohn
Based on Pest Management for Retail Greenhouses and Garden Centers by Leanne Pundt
Why Integrated Pest Mgmt (IPM)?
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Over 90% of flowering plants and 75% of crops
depend on insect pollinators
Pollinators are an integral component of natural
ecosystems that make the natural energy flow and
nutrient cycling necessary for crop production possible.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices have been
developed to improve pest control while minimizing
impacts on beneficial species, such as pollinators.
 http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Documents/IPMpol.pdf
What is IPM?
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Definition: A long-term pest control technique that
relies on combinations of crop rotation, cultural
practices, biological controls, and pesticides
 Pesticides
are used only as a last resort and according
to strict guidelines
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Key words: long term ; combination
Benefits of IPM
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Minimizes loss of pollinators, which…
Increases plant productivity
Reduces economic losses
Minimizes health risks (what kills an insect in small doses
kills pets and animals in large doses)
Decreases risk of pesticide resistance
Protects the environment, which…
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Increases plant productivity and reduces economic losses
Finally – It’s more effective!
Background
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Plants often come to retailers and eventually to you
through large supply chains.
This increased transportation of living plants increases
the spread and depth of an insect infestation
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Nutshell: it’s pretty much impossible to buy plants completely
free of insects
If you have bought plants, you will have insects
If you raise plants from seed, the risk is lower but still
substantial.
Principles
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The basic principals of successful integrated pest
management (IPM) include:
Inspecting incoming plants
 Regular, consistent monitoring
 Sound cultural practices (crop rotation, spacing, etc.)
 Accurate identification of insects, diseases and cultural issues
 Prompt, timely pest management decision-making
 Good communication between all members involving in this
decision-making process including scouts, pesticide
applicators, managers, owners etc.
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Inspection of Plants
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The most important aspect of IPM is inspection of plants
on arrival.
The entire plant from leaves to roots should be carefully
observed.
DO NOT purchase or accept plants that…
Have rotting roots
 Have viral or bacterial diseases (spotting, mosaic patterns,
ringed circles, blotchy spots)
 Have nematodes (microscopic root worms)
 Just plain do not look right!
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Quarantine and treat plants on arrival before moving
them with others
Prevention
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Select insect-resistant plants
Keep records of what varieties have done the best
Consult extension agents to determine if a plant is
considered resistant
Sanitation (next slide)
Prevention - Sanitation
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Cleanliness is a key element of prevention.
Remove all dead or dying plant material immediately
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A hospital does not leave dead bodies and cut-off limbs in
the hallway; neither should a garden or greenhouse
Keep floors clean, swept, and sprayed down
Prevent standing water (which would encourage the
growth of fungus, algae, and some insects)
Regularly disinfect materials and equipment, as well as
greenhouse floors
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Soap is very effective
Prevention - Monitoring
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Have a weekly monitoring program in place
Hang sticky-cards above your plants to trap insects
for identification
Use indicator plants (plants that are more
susceptible and will show symptoms earlier)
Inspect plants while caring for them (watering,
fertilizing, etc.)
 Scotch
tape analysis can help for smaller pests
 Stick a piece of scotch tape to the underside of the leaf
and examine with a magnifying glass
Prevention - Record Keeping
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Keep track of all decisions
Approximate pest numbers and locations
 Approximations
do not have to be exact
 E.g. you can make up your own scale based on previous
experience – mild, moderate, extreme
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Records will help you to determine if treatments are
effective, if pests are recurring, and if pesticides
are necessary.
Cultural Practices
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Most plant health problems come from poor
management, not from insect infestations
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I.e. poorly trained humans are a worse problem than insects
Watering tends to be a big issue – avoid overwatering
or underwatering
Large amounts of water infrequently is better than daily
small amounts
 The soil should be allowed to slightly dry in-between
waterings to prevent pests.
 Overwatering or too-frequent watering increases the risk of
mold, fungus, and pathogenic algae
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Cultural Practices – Water, Fert.
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Watering should occur earlier in the day
Late-day watering increases the risk of foliar (leaf) disease
(water sits on the plant surface overnight, encouraging
pathogen growth)
 Time of standing water should be minimized
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Fertilization is also a major contributor to plant health
problems
Over-fertilization increases plant susceptibility to insect
predation
 Under-fertilization will reduce plant growth and reduce the
plant’s ability to ward of predation
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Cultural Practices – Temp, Air
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Temperature –
 Too-cool
temperatures can increase rot, blight, and
dampening off diseases
 Too-warm temperatures can increase the risk of drought
and water-loss, reducing a plant’s ability to fight
predation
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Airflow –
 Good
airflow is necessary to allow for transpiration
and reduce moisture build-up that encourages mold
and fungal growth
Cultural - Sanitation
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Discard diseased plants once they are found.
Isolate questionable plants and return them with the
rest if nothing is found.
Remove all debris, dead plant matter, and weeds
that can harbor insects
Keep all dead plant matter in sealed plastic bags
until they are ready to be disposed of
Dispose of dead plant material as soon as possible
Cultural – Mechanical, Rotation
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Mechanical controls can include the use of screens,
nets, fences, or traps.
These can be as effective as nearly any other
treatment for a specific pest.
Crops should be rotated regularly so that their
respective pests are able to die out during offyears.
Pruning and thinning can also reduce infestations.
Biological Control
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If pests are a problem, biological control may be an
effective alternative to chemical pesticides
Biological control is the use of predators of pests to manage
pest levels.
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E.g. predatory mites, ladybugs, green lacewings or host specific
parasitic wasps
Natural predators of pests do not work quickly; they are
best used as preventative measures
Biological control cannot be used with pesticides (the
pesticides would kill both the pest and the predators)
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Insecticide residues can affect predators up to 3 mo’s after
application.
Pesticides
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Pesticides should only be used as a last resort
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Pesticides can be a part of IPM, but only if all other
measures fail
The term pesticide refers to insecticides, herbicides,
fungicides, and various other substances used to control
pests.
A pest, by this definition, is a living organism that can
cause damage to a desired plant, animal, or structure
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This could be insects as well as weeds and even animals such
as rodents or deer
Classes of Pesticides
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Two major groups of pesticides exist –
 1.
Restricted use: to use and apply these kinds of
pesticides, you must undergo training and certification
in most states
 Unclassified/General Use: the equivalent of over-thecounter; anyone can purchase and use these
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All pesticides should be considered dangerous! All
pesticides should be applied according to directions
and with care!
Pesticides should only be applied as needed.
Pesticide application
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IPM promotes calculated and targeted applications
of pesticides that are more specific to the pest
species.
Plants should be monitored after pesticide
application to determine the effectiveness of the
treatment and whether or not an additional
treatment is necessary
Records should be kept of the effectiveness and cost
of the pesticide application.
 http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uo190.pdf
Choice of Pesticides
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Choosing the correct pesticide to control the pest(s)
in your home, lawn, or garden requires a certain
amount of planning.
Many types of pesticides exist to treat a specific
pest, and a variety of pesticide formulations are
available to the consumer.
 http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uo190.pdf
Pesticide Considerations
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1. Is the pesticide appropriate for your specific pest?
2. Can you use this pesticide, or is a professional
needed?
3. Have you tried all other non-chemical options and
have they all failed?
4. Is this the least-toxic pesticide option?
5. Have you read the label thoroughly and understand
the instructions?
6. Do you have a place to keep a record in case of
medical, veterinary, or environmental problems?
Pesticide Labels
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The label provides information about the active
ingredient, how to mix and apply the product, when
and where to apply the product, how to store and
dispose of the product, as well as safety and
environmental precautions and first aid instructions.
The pesticide label is a legal document, and
misusing a pesticide product is a violation of the law.
 http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/FreePubs/pdfs/uo190.pdf
Components of a Pesticide Label
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Trade & Brand Name
Ingredients
Use statement (restricted or general)
Emergency Phone Number
Registration Number
Cautionary words – Caution, Warning, Danger, and
Danger: Poison – reflect the risk of injury from the
product
Hazards, Storage, Disposal
Directions for Use
Final Comments on Pesticides
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Always wear protection!
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Shorts, sandals, and t-shirts are NOT adequate
Clothes should cover all extremities
Clothes should be washed after application
Washers should be allowed to run an additional cycle while empty
after washing pesticide-affected clothes.
Pesticides must be stored in their original container (federal law) in
a cool, dry area
Pesticides must be disposed through special programs
Ingested pesticides should be diluted with water (do not induce
vomiting unless instructed); poison control should be called
immediately.