Integrated Pest Management

1. Integrated Pest Management • The definition of a pest depends on your own ________________ and decision-making • Pest management • The purpose is to harvest a food product in the _______________and ______________ that is acceptable to you • Crops often can tolerate some ________________ without affecting their utility to you • Crops generally have certain stages of growth that are particularly vulnerable to _______________

2. Pests • A wide array of organisms are found in the garden • ___________________ organisms • Bees, spiders, ladybugs, praying mantis, frogs • ___________________ organisms • Flies, mosquitoes • Pests • Japanese beetles, cucumber beetles, cabbage loopers, Colorado potato beetles, rabbits

3. Pests • Integrated Pest Management (IPM) • IPM is an approach to pest management that integrates a variety of techniques to ___________ and, if necessary, to __________________ a pest • Important points • Integrate a variety of techniques • Identification • Do not always need to manage pest • Are not eliminating every pest • _________________ symptoms can be caused by factors other than pests

4. Pests • Scouting for pests • Go to the garden on a regular basis and systematically check for ___________ and damage _______________ • Black or brown lesions on leaf surfaces • Holes from boring insects • Tattered edges from ______________ insects • A fundamental point in pest management: • A certain number of pest individuals or amount of damage can be tolerated

5. Pest Prevention Prevent problems before they occur • Sanitation • Ensure that as few __________________ as possible get into your garden • Most pest populations come from sources within the _________________ itself • Sanitation practices aim to _______________ sources of new pest population

6. Pests: Biological Control • Definition: Any activity of one species that reduces the ______________________ effects of another • Examples • Predators and parasites of insects • Most biological control works _____________ without assistance from the gardener

7. Pests: Biological Controls • Ways you can encourage beneficial organisms • Avoid use of broad ____________ pesticides • Provide a habitat that is favorable for the biological control ______________ • Buying biological control agents • Generally are either not adapted or are too ______________ and do not stay in a garden

8. Pests: Cultural Controls • Critical concept: • A vigorously _______________ crop can tolerate more pest damage or better compete with weeds than a less healthy one • Examples of cultural control • Planting time • ____________ well-drained soils • Adequate water • ____________ varieties • Mulching

9. Pests: Mechanical Controls • Mechanical control is widely used for _________________ control and to prepare the soil in gardens • Examples of mechanical controls • Tillage • Hoeing • Plant cages • Row ________________

10. Pests: Pesticides • Are materials that kill pests • Include: • ________________ - control insects • ________________ - control weeds • There are both _______________ and synthetic pesticides • Problems with pesticides • Are easy to overuse • Can affect non-target __________________ • Use as a last resort