INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)

What is involved in the management of greenhouse pests?

No matter how well crops are grown, pests and diseases will become problems from time to time. The very nature of greenhouse crop production

leads to some disease problems. In most cases, crops are of the same species,

variety, or cultivar. Being of identical genetic makeup, they are

vulnerable to infectious disease that can easily spread from one plant to another.

What is integrated pest management?

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a pest management strategy that uses a combination of best management practices (BMP) to reduce pest damage with the least disruption to society and the environment.

Best management practices (BMPs) are those practices that combine scientific research with practical knowledge to optimize production and increase crop quality while maintaining environmental integrity.

What is integrated pest management? IPM provides protection against hazards to

humans, domestic animals, plants, and the environment.

Studies have shown that no single control measure works consistently over a long period of time.

A reason for this is that pests can develop resistance to certain control measures.

Balancing costs and benefits can be done at various levels

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The goal of IPM is to keep pest populations below the economic or aesthetic injury level.1. Economic injury level is the point at which the cost of pest control equals the revenue loss caused by a pest. It is determined by estimating the potential

yield loss, the value of the crop, and the cost of treatment.

What is integrated pest management?2. Economic threshold is the number of insects

per plant or the amount of damage to the plant that economically justifies the use of control measures. If a control is applied when a pest population

reaches the economic threshold, the population will be suppressed before it reaches the economic injury level.


The key to a successful IPM program is scouting, which involves regularly monitoring pest populations and crop conditions.

A scout collects data about which pests are causing damage, what stage of life each pest is in, and whether the pest population is increasing or decreasing.

Knowing how to identify key pests and their biological characteristics is important.


Benefits of IPM help sustain the ability of the earth to meet the needs of an increasing human population. Careful planning is required to make

effective use of IPM.


• The benefits of IPM to the horticulture industry:

a. There are reduced pesticide costs in addition to fewer pesticides used with

IPM. b. Application costs are reduced due to

time, and the cost of labor for pesticide application is reduced.

c. Less pesticide resistance develops within populations of insects, weeds,

and diseases.


IPM also benefits the environment, which is made more sustainable and friendly to people.

Benefits of IPM to the environment:a. Reduced contamination and degradation of the environment occurs through the use of IPM. Pesticide residues do not build up in soil, water, and other

natural resources.

b. Cancer-causing residues are present in smaller amounts or are not on food at all. Less pesticide residue on food products means a decreased

chance of people ingesting pesticides.

What are the different practices of integrated pest management used in the greenhouse?

The IPM program for greenhouse crops must be year-round.

Four broad areas of control include: sanitation, cultural/physical control, biological control, and chemical control.


Many pest problems can be greatly reduced or eliminated with greenhouse sanitation.

Sanitation is simply the efforts made to keep a greenhouse clean.


1. Weeds should be removed from the interior of the greenhouse and the immediate area outside the greenhouse. Weed control is extremely important. Weeds harbor pests. Pests migrate from the weeds to the

greenhouse crop to cause damage. Some greenhouse ranges have been built with

concrete floors, in part to eliminate habitat for pests.

A few herbicides are labeled for use inside the greenhouse.


2. Plant debris and other debris should be removed from the floors and benches. Debris (like dead or dying leaves and plants)

often houses disease organisms and pests. Also, severely infested or infected plants should

be removed and disposed of properly.


Cultural/physical control consists of those methods that physically prevent activities of pests.

Major advantages to cultural/physical controls are that they are safe to humans.

1. The first line of defense against plant pests is to prevent their introduction to the greenhouse. All plants should be thoroughly inspected before

they are admitted into the greenhouse. Accept only clean plants purchased from

reputable suppliers.


2. Another practice is to maintain the ideal growing environment for the crops. As mentioned, plants that are healthy are

better able to fight disease organisms and pests. A good analogy is people and colds.

People who eat right, exercise, get plenty of rest, and are under little stress are more resistant to colds.

People who eat poor diets, are out of shape, get little sleep, and are “stressed out” are more susceptible to colds.


3. Good air circulation around the greenhouse plants reduces the incidence of fungal diseases. Fungal diseases grow and spread when

moisture covers plant leaves. Air circulation helps to keep plant leaves dry.

4. Screens can be used over greenhouse openings. The fine mesh of the screens prevents pests

from entering the greenhouse environment.


5. Yellow sticky traps used to monitor pest populations also serve as a means of physical control. Flying insect pests are attracted to sticky traps,

fly onto the traps, get stuck, and die.


Biological control involves the use of microbial, parasitic, and predatory organisms to control pests. Biological control

organisms are found in nature and, therefore, are considered environmentally safe.


1. Microbial organisms include bacteria and fungi. A prime example is a bacterium, Bacillus

thuringiensis, which effectively controls caterpillars.

Some species of bacteria and fungi can be used to control aphid and whitefly populations because they are natural diseases of those insects.


2. Parasitic organisms help to control some pests. The parasites are natural enemies of the pests and

live off the pest organisms. An example of a parasitic insect used in

greenhouses is a tiny parasitic wasp. It lays its eggs on whitefly larvae. The eggs hatch with the wasp larvae inside the

whitefly larvae. The wasp larvae slowly weaken and kill the

developing whiteflies from within. Each female wasp lays eggs in up to 200 immature

whiteflies.


When the wasps mature, they emerge from what is left of the whiteflies, mate, and look for whitefly larvae on which to lay the next generation of eggs. a. It should be noted that chemical pesticides

cannot be used in the greenhouse without killing the beneficial parasites.

b. The parasites are also not effective with heavy infestations of plant pests.


3. Predatory organisms can be purchased and released in the greenhouse to devour certain plant pests. Ladybugs eat aphids. A mite is an effective control of thrips. A specific beetle is freed to attack whitefly

larvae and adults. As with parasitic organisms, chemical

pesticides should not be used when predatory organisms are introduced.


Chemical control is the use of pesticides to control pests and diseases. Chemical control is often applied only when

absolutely necessary. Pesticide application must be done safely to

reduce potential injury to people and the environment.

1. Pest control has been made safer with the introduction of less toxic pesticides. This group of “soft” pesticides includes

botanical insecticides, horticultural oils, insect growth regulators, and insecticidal soaps.


a. Botanical insecticides are natural materials obtained from plants that are toxic to insect pests.

b. Horticultural oils are sprayed on the insects to clog their breathing pores, causing suffocation.

c. Insect growth regulators disrupt the growth and development of the insects.

d. Insecticidal soaps dissolve the protective membranes of insects, bringing on death.


2. There are several methods used to apply pesticides in the greenhouse. a. Aerosols consist of atomized spray or smoke

particles distributed through the air. Cans containing the pesticide can be set to

release the aerosol, thus creating a fog in the greenhouse. Once the aerosol is started, the applicator can safely leave.

b. A dip is a pesticide mixed with water for the purpose of submerging plants. Easter lily bulbs are commonly dipped in a

miticide before planting to control bulb mites.


c. Some materials are used as a drench, which is a solution of pesticide mixed with water that is simply poured into the pots. A common practice is to drench poinsettias

with a fungicide to control soilborne disease.

d. Fumigants are poisonous gases distributed through the air to all parts of the greenhouse. They are particularly effective with flying

insects and pests exposed to the gases.


e. Some pesticides are in a granular or pellet form. They are carefully measured and applied on the surface

of the growing medium. These pesticides are referred to as systemic. When

plants are watered, the roots absorb the pesticides into their systems.

f. Pesticides may be applied as a spray on the plant. The small droplets of the spray cover the surface of the

plant. Care must be taken with a spray to cover parts of the

plant where the pest is found, such as the underside of the leaves.

Exit Slip-April 10, 20141) What is integrated pest management?

2) What are the basic elements of an integrated pest management program?3) Out of the different ways we discussed in the lecture, describe the two ways you believe will work within the IPM system: Explain why.

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)

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