Two Basic Decision Categories in IPM

Most Control Decisions Combine One of Each of the Following:

•             Tactical vs. Strategic

•           Tactics – Individual control options

•           Strategies – Combinations of Tactics

•             Preventative (Prophylactic) vs. Curative (Therapeutic)

•           Preventative – Before pest is a threat

•           Curative – When pest is threatening

 

Hypothetical Strategy

IPM Strategies are Implemented Via Programs

•      Programs include pest monitoring and decision tools

•      Monitoring & decision tools tie into the strategy.

 

Strategy vs. Program (Strategic Plan)

The Evolution of IPM

•      Pest management is at least as old as agriculture.

•      It has evolved along with agriculture and technology

•      Generally, when technology as advanced, so has pest management (and vice versa).

 

•      Read Chapter 3 in text:  Historical Development of Pest Management.  Pp. 47 - 64

 

Four Logical Periods

•      Before WWI

 

•      Between WWI & WWII

 

•      Between WWII & 1962 (Silent Spring)

 

•      1962 onward

Before WWI

•      Periods of great advancement followed by decline.

•      Advancing periods characterized by:

–  Scientific inquiry into the nature of crops and pest biologies

–  Agricultural production for profit, specifically, for well-developed export markets.

 

Early Examples

4,000 – 5,000 BC        Early China

2,500 BC                      Summerians

1,000 BC                      Egyptians

400 – 200 BC               Greeks

200 BC – 100 AD        Romans

1500 – 1700 AD          Baconism

Major Events in Baconism

•      Voyages of Discovery

•      Printing & Woodcuts

•      Perspective in Art

•      Microscope Invented

•      First Naturalists

•      Agricultural Markets Develop

•      Scientific Method

During the 19th Century

•      Great strides in biological knowledge (e.g. germ theory, evolution, genetics).

•      Industrial revolution leads to large scale farming and commercial markets

•      Modern pest groups are recognized (insects, weeds, pathogens)

•      Potato famine creates incentive for government funding of pest controls.

19th Century Pest Control Advances

•      Pressurized spray equipment nozzles invented

•      First modern success in biological control

•      First modern success in host plant resistance

•      Modern cultural tools developed

•      Most key pests’ biologies understood

By WWI

•      Modern pest tactics were available but only a few were practical.

 

•      Developed countries were being invaded by major foreign pests.

Between WWI & WWII

Pest Control Depended on Relative Crop Value

•      High Value Crops – Became pesticide-oriented:  Improved equipment and chemicals

•      Low Value Crops – Management-oriented.  Emphasis on plant breeding, cultural methods, basic science & ecology

During the 1940’s

•      1940 – DDT patented as an insecticide

•      1942 – BHC found insecticidal

•      1943 – 2,4-D found effective as a herbicide

•      1946 – Gerhard Schrader hired by Bayer

•      1946 – Houseflies found resistant to DDT

During 1950’s

Organic chemical pesticides become routine on all crops

•      Viewed as “modern” farming

•      Low risk, “cost of business”

•      Few/no regulations

•      High prices/demand for US exports

•      Problems would not be addressed until 1962

Problems Arising During the 1950’s

•      Pest Resistance

•      Bird/Fish Kills

•      Human Poisonings

•      Secondary Pests

•      Biomagnification

 

“Pesticide Treadmill”

•             Spray, kill pest & natural controls.  Pest comes back.  Repeat until…

•             Resistance in primary pest.  Increase application rates.  Kill broader range of natural controls.

•             Induce secondary pest

•             Begin spraying for secondary pest until…

•             Resistance in secondary pest

•             Change chemicals.  Repeat sequence.