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Northern Australia Food Futures Conference

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

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Quản lý dịch hại tích hợp (IPM)

tìm hiểu thêm

ការគ្រប់គ្រងសត្វល្អិតចង្រៃដោយការ គួបផ្សំវិធីសាស្ត្រមួយចំនួន

ដឹងបន្ថែម

Introduction

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a pest control system that combines several methods: biological, cultural, and chemical.

Biological Control involves managing pests using natural enemies or good bugs, which can be predators, parasitoids, or pathogens. These are collectively called biological control agents (or biocontrol agents).

Biocontrol Agents

Predators, such as lacewing larvae, hoverfly larvae, and ladybirds, feed on pests like aphids and mealybugs. Predatory shield bugs and mites target caterpillars and pest mites, respectively.

From L-R, spined predatory sheild bug feeding on a caterpillar, ladybird larva which feeds on aphids and hoverfly (syrphid) larva feeding on aphids, all from the Northern Territory.

Parasitoids, typically tiny wasps or flies, lay their eggs on or in pests. Their larvae kill the host as they develop. For example, egg parasitoids, larval parasitoids, and pupal parasitoids target different pest stages.

From L-R, a tiny wasp which is an egg parasitoid of fall armyworm and a tachinid fly which parasites fall armyworm larvae, and two wasp parasitoids of American serpentine leafminer, all from the Northern Territory.

Pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes cause diseases in pests and eventually kill them. Examples include the fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, and viruses like nuclear polyhedrosis viruses (NPV).

Image (R) Fall armyworm larvae infected with fungus Metarhizium rileyi in NT.

Types of Biological Control

  1. Conservation Biocontrol: Encouraging naturally occurring biocontrol agents by providing a suitable environment, like flowering plants for parasitoids, or by avoiding harmful chemicals.
  2. Augmentative Biocontrol: Introducing additional biocontrol agents when natural populations are insufficient.
  3. Classical Biocontrol: Importing biocontrol agents from a pest’s native region when it lacks natural enemies in the new environment.

Cultural Control

Cultural control involves farming practices that reduce pest populations, such as crop rotation, planting trap crops, timing of planting, and maintaining field hygiene.

Chemical Control

Chemical methods in IPM focus on minimal and targeted use of pesticides. Sprays should be applied only when necessary, using selective chemicals that minimize harm to beneficial organisms. Regular monitoring of pest and beneficial populations helps decide when and what to spray. The goal is to use chemicals sparingly and avoid pest resistance.

Pest Outbreaks

Some pests, like fall armyworm and silverleaf whitefly, can develop resistance to broad-spectrum insecticides. Without predators and parasitoids, pest populations can surge. This is called a pest upsurge. Effective IPM prevents such occurrences by maintaining a balance of natural pest control agents.

How to Implement IPM

  1. Identify pests and beneficial organisms in the crop using field guides.

  2. Regularly monitor pest and beneficial populations.

  3. Make informed decisions on whether to spray, choosing chemicals that are effective yet safe for beneficial organisms.

IPM considers the entire pest complex of a crop. Actions taken against one pest can affect others, so a holistic approach ensures better pest management and reduced chemical dependence.

 

More information:

For advice or to submit specimens for identification contact DAF Entomology at Berrimah Farm Science Precinct on (08) 8999 2258 or insectinfo@nt.gov.au

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