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Urban
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
is a philosophy that optimizes pest management decisions by combining
biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes
economic, social, and environmental risks. IPM goals are to keep pests below
unacceptable levels, not eradicate them. Decisions are made on the
realization that any disruption of a pest affects other pests and beneficials in
the ecosystem. Urban pest management differs from that of the farm crop which
are mostly concerned with monocultures, in that urban environments are very
diverse and what affects one homesite also affects the surrounding home sites.
Some farm pests migrate over large areas but in the urban situation all pests
move easily from one garden to another. The treatment one gardener uses for
his/her garden will affect what happens to the neighbors garden whether it is
intentional or not.
Ecological
Approach of Pest Management
A. Unilateral approach usually fails. Because of:
Pest
Resistance
Resurgence
Emergence
of secondary pests
Exposure
of Non-target organisms--beneficials, wildlife, man
B. The IPM
approach must consider all options. Always strive to maintain vigor. Insects are
symptoms of poor vigor.
The options available are:
1.Choosing the proper Site - Utilize microclimates in the landscape. Exposure, placement
2.Selection of locally
adapted and disease and insect resistant cultivars
3.Preparation of site
by removing wire, rope, building wastes etc. Backfill with good soil mixture
4.Water -
Trees, shrubs and turf should be deep watered, but infrequently
5.Fertilization
- Soils should be tested to determine fertility levels and reduce unnecessary applications
of nitrogen.
6.Timely
and proper pruning - to avoid attracting pests.
7.Sanitation - Remove dead and dying plants and burn, compost, or solarize them.
Insects and pathogenic fungi overwinter in residues.
8.Weed management - Any plant considered a weed should be promptly removed and
destroyed
Weeds
serve as reservoirs for insect vectors (leafhoppers, aphids and grasshoppers).
Mulches can be used
to reduce weed populations. ( Reports that shredded mulberry prunings are an
effective deterrent to some weeds including bindweed have been received and
testing of this needs to be done.)
9.Insect and Diseases control - Choose chemicals last and
use lowest effective rates.
Management strategies
Although mapping requires work, a landscape map greatly
simplifies the ability to track plant quality over a season or several seasons.
Include characteristics, about the site such as the condition of the existing
plants, sunlight patterns, soil characteristics, water runoff, utility lines,
etc. Note the condition of plants and record the occurrence diseases, weeds and
cultural problems directly on maps. Make several copies of the map so a new one
can be used each week.
1.Key
Plants and Key Pests
Learn all major pests (insects, mites, weeds, diseases,
and vertebrates) the type of damage they produce, and their life cycles. Key
Plants are those plants that have aesthetic or functional qualities that
contribute to one’s pleasure and the value of one’s property. They form the
nucleus of the program. Key Pests are those that are serious, perennially
occurring, persistent species, that dominate management decisions. Learn to
recognize key pest’s natural enemies and their life cycles as well.
Key Pest ID and Life cycles
a. Need proper identification. Japanese vs. June beetles and milky
spoor disease
b. May have narrow treatment window. Pine tip moth.
c.
Young larvae, nymphs and crawlers are the easiest to control.
d. Only
the eggs and first instar larvae of borers are practical to control.
2.Monitoring
Pest and
Beneficial Arthropods
Determine when and where pests are causing damage by
sampling at least weekly. Establish a regular scouting system for each key plant
species that is designed to detect key pests. The number of samples taken must
be adequate. Pests are seldom distributed uniformly over a plant, nor or they
evenly distributed within plant groupings.
A. Use a
common sampling unit for each plant species, such as leaves, terminals, or
minutes that are consistent with the feeding habits of the key pests.
B. Plant
tissue is selected at random from 5 to 25 sites on the plant and all
arthropods are counted.
C. Timed
counts. Arthropods are counted during a visual search of the plant during a 1 or
2 minute interval.
D. Beat
samples. A collection tray is held underneath the plant foliage and the foliage
is struck sharply 2 to 5 times. Arthropods are collected and counted.
Many
types of traps can be used to monitor pests. Yellow sticky traps are attractive
to whiteflies, aphids, thrips, leafhoppers and other flying insects pests.
Pheromone traps can monitor insect levels so control strategies can be
effectively timed. Pitfall traps monitor June beetles (white grubs) and pillbugs.
Note that these types of monitoring techniques will help determine when
to initiate control measures, not if control measures should be begun.
3.Decision
making guidelines
A. Aesthetic - location of the plant in the landscape. Highly visible vs. not so
visible.
B. Action thresholds will differ from season to season.
Pests which threaten the life of the plant will be managed at lower levels than
those which only disfigure.
C. Spot treat only infested plants, leaving untreated
plants to serve as a reservoir for natural enemies. Use the lowest labeled rates
of least toxic alternatives.
D. Treat the most susceptible stage of the insect. Scale crawlers
E. Determine if the pest population is increasing or decreasing. Aphid mummies.
F. Note
the time of year the infestation occurs. Fall webworm is rarely injurious.
4.
Alternative Control Tactics
Studies have concluded trees that are stressed by drought
and cold, root disease, soil compaction, construction damage, poor growing site,
etc. are often attacked by insects. Use plants that are resistant to the key
insects in your area. Planting rows of legumes such as clover or alfalfa
provides a suitable habitat for beneficial insects.
5.Pest
Management
A. Hand removal - Insects can be removed by hand and
dropped in a can of soapy water. Egg masses and aphids can be crushed. Tomato
hornworms, bagworms and mistletoes can be picked off. Remove dead and dying wood
and cover with plastic, burn, chip or bury. Many bark beetles and borers breed
in stressed, dying or recently dead wood. When new adults emerge they attack
nearby living trees.
B. Screens and barriers exclude pests from the desired plants. Row covers that
are light weight fine-meshed fabrics can be draped over plants and anchored to
the ground. Thin copper sheet metal is an effective barrier against snails and
slugs.
C. Damaging levels of aphids, scale crawlers, whiteflies,
spider mites and many eggs can be kept under control if they are washed off
frequently with a garden hose.
D. Use of
Pathogens, Predators, and Parasites.
1.Bacillus
thuringiensis strains kurstaki,
san diego,
israelensis,
and
tenebrionis. Entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria for greenhouse control
of whitefly.
2.Nematodes - Steinernema and Heterohabditis for grub and weevil
control.
3.Protozoa - Nosema locustae used as a bait for grasshopper control.
4.Beneficial organisms - an important strategy in IPM is the use of beneficial
organisms such as natural predators, parasites or pathogens. In the long run, it
is more advantageous to encourage and conserve naturally existing enemies
through wise management practices than to purchase and release commercial ones.
INORGANIC
Sulfur is
used mostly as a fungicide and miticide. Sulfur applications should not
be made within one month of an oil spray, nor when the air temperature is above
90°F.
Copper should not be applied in any form when the air temperature drops below
50°F, if the humidity is above 30%. Copper sheets can be used as a barrier to
snails
Diatomaceous earth - silica shells are used to blow in cracks and crevices.
ORGANIC AND BOTANICALS
Neem oil
- has active ingredients that act as repellents, feeding inhibitors, egg-laying
deterrents, growth retardants, stenlants and direct toxins in over 170 insect
species. Multiple modes of action make it unlikely that insects will develop
resistance to neem. Studies show that many beneficial insects escape the effects
of neem.
Pyrethrins
- Pyrethrum is a broad-spectrum insecticidal powder made from the dried flowers
of the cinerariaefolium. Pyrethrin is used for its fast-acting knockdown effect,
but many insects can metabolize and detoxify pure pyrethrin, eventually
recovering. Pyrethrums are often combined with Rotenone and/or Ryania for longer
lasting control.
Ryania - Ryania is derived from the stems of a South
American shrub. Ryania is a stomach poison and sects stop feeding soon after
they eat it. It has been used to control thrips and codling moths on fruit
trees, corn borers, corn earworms, cabbage worms and some other garden pests.
Ryania is available in combination with Rotenone and Pyrethrin.
Rotenone
- Rotenone resin is derived from the roots of some legumes, such as South
America and Dens from Malaysia. Rotenone is a broad-spectrum contact and
stomach poison, affecting nerve and muscle cells. The affected insect stops
feeding and dies within a few hours or days. Rotenone is useful as a spray or
dust against beetles and caterpillars that feed on leaves.
Sabadilla
- Sabadilla dust is made from the finely ground seeds of the tropical lily
Sabadilla officinale in Central and South America. Alkaloids in Sabadilla
affect the nerve cells of insects, causing paralysis and
eventual death. Sabadilla is a broad-spectrum contact poison. Sabadilla will
kill honeybees, so apply in the evening.
Petroleum
oils
control the egg, immature and adult stages of scale insects, aphids and mites on
ornamental and fruit and nut trees. They interfere less with natural; parasites
and predators than conventional pesticides applied during the growing season.
Horticultural Oils
- technology in refining oils has made available superior-type horticultural
oils that can be used during the growing season as well as dormant season.
Horticultural oils kill insects and mites by physically interfering with the
respiratory process. Superior oils are the most stringently refined of all
petroleum oils and are excellent products for pest control. They can be used in
any season if weather permits.
Dormant
oils
are the most viscous (heavy) of the petroleum oils and are formulated for the
use on dormant plants only.
Insecticidal soaps - some soaps of fatty acids have insecticidal properties.
Soaps apparently penetrate the insect’s cuticle and enter the respirator system.
Soaps are effective against soft bodied insects such as aphids, thrips, mites,
scale crawlers, whiteflies, leafhopper nymphs and others.
Chemical
pesticides should be chosen carefully, used sparingly, and rotated to extend
their usefulness.
Synthetic
pyrethrins. Rated as least dangerous.
Carbaryl
- Carbamates. Rated as least dangerous.
Acephate
- Orthene. Rated as less dangerous.
Chlorpyrifos - Organophosphates. Rated as less dangerous.
6. Social
considerations
Ground
water pollution - wetlands
Soil
contamination - clean up is expensive.
Endangered Species - willow flycatcher uses Bosque as critical habitat
Storm
water runoff - Nitrates, phosphates, diazinon residues found in Rio Grande
Worker
Protection Standards - clothing, respiration, posting, re-entry
Quality
of Life - medical costs.
7. Evaluation
and Revision
Good
records are crucial for evaluation and improvement. Records should include pests
ID, dates, population size, location of infestation, cultivar, sampling method,
decisions made, and their effectiveness. Develop action thresholds of each pests
and tolerable damage of each plant, taking into considerations the time of year,
plant growth stage, chemical practices for each pest. A successful IPM program
will result in:
1)A
monitoring system for pests and beneficials, and set guidelines for aesthetic
injury levels,
2)
optimum pesticide use and lower impact on non-target organisms, and
3) an
improved quality and aesthetic appearance of landscape ornamentals and turf.
For additional resources.
Click here: Key Documents or copy and paste
http://members.efn.org/~ipmpa/keydocs.html in to your browser.
02/01/2009
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