DAS 123- Approaches and Practices in Pest Management

Module 1

1. Title of the Module: I. Introduction

2. Introduction
Crop protection is a complex of instruments, products, and strategies used to defend crops
against weeds, pests, viruses, plant diseases, and other harmful factors. They can have
devastating results considerably reducing or even destroying future crops.
3. Learning Outcome
At the end of this topic, you are expected to:
 Define the different terminologies used in the subject
 Discuss the pest concept
 Discuss the Integrated Pest management

4. Learning Content
a. Definition of terms
The following terminologies used in the subject are the following:
Acaricide- Material toxic to mites (Acarina).
Activator- Chemical added to a pesticide to increase its toxicity.
Active ingredient- Toxic component of a formulated pesticide.
Adjuvant- A spray additive to improve either physical or chemical properties (see also
Supplement, Sticker, Adhesive, Spreader, Wetterand Emulsifier).
Antibiosis - The resistance of a plant to insect attack by having, for example, a thick cuticle,
hairy leaves, toxic sap, etc.
Bait Foodstuff used for attracting pests; usually mixed with a poison to form a poison bait.
Carrier Material serving as diluent and vehicle for the active ingredients; usually in dusts
Compatibility - The ability to mix different pesticides without physical or chemical interactions
which would lead to reduction in biological efficiency or increase in phyto-toxicity.
Control (verb) To reduce damage or pest density to a level below the economic threshold.

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Disinfect -To free from infection by destruction of the pest or pathogen established in or on
plants or plant parts. To kill or inactivate pests or pathogens present upon the surface of plants or
plant parts, or in the immediate vicinity (e.g. in soil).
Dispersal - Movement of individuals out of a population (emigration) or into a population
(immigration).
Dose - dosage Quantity of pesticide applied per individual, or per unit area, or per unit volume,
or per unit weight.
Economic damage- The injury done to a crop which will justify the cost of artificial control
measures.
Economic-injury level- The lowest population density that will cause economic damage.
Economic pest- A pest causing a crop loss of about 5–10%, according to definition.
Economic threshold- The pest population level at which control measures should be started to
prevent the pest population from reaching the economic-injury level.
Emergence- 1. The adult insect leaving the last nymphal skin, or pupal case. 2. Germination of a
seed and the appearance of the shoot.
Emigration- The movement of individuals out of a population.
Emulsifiable concentrate- (e.c.) Liquid formulation that when added to water will
spontaneously disperse as fine droplets to form an emulsion (= Miscible oil).
Emulsifier Spray- additive which permits formation of a stable suspension of oil droplets in
aqueous solution, or of aqueous solution in oil.
Fumigant- Pesticide exhibiting toxicity in the vapor phase.
Habitat- The place where plants and animals live, usually with a distinctive boundary (e.g. field,
pond, sand-dune, rocky crevice).
Host- The organism in or on which a parasite lives; and the plant on which an insect feeds.
Infect- To enter and establish a pathogenic relationship with a plant (host); to enter and persist in
a carrier.
Infest- To occupy and cause injury to either a plant, soil or stored products.
Insecticide- A toxin effective against insects.
Key pest - An important major pest species in the complex of pests attacking a crop, with a
dominating effect on control practices.
Nematicide- Toxicant effective against nematodes (= eelworms).
Nocturnal- Active at night.

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Parasite An organism living in intimate association with a living organism (plant or animal)
from which it derives material essential for its existence while conferring no benefit in return.
Parasitoid An organism alternately parasitic and free-living; most parasitic Hymenoptera and
Diptera fall into this category as usually only the larvae are parasitic.
Pest - An animal or plant causing damage to man’s crops, animals or possessions.
Pest density - The population level at which a pest species causes economic damage.
Pest management - The careful manipulation of a pest situation, after extensive consideration of
all aspects of the life system as well as ecological and economic factors.
Pesticide- A chemical which by virtue of its toxicity (poisonous properties) is used to kill pest
organisms. A term of wide application which includes all the more specific applications –
insecticide, acaricide, bactericide, fungicide, herbicide, molluscicide, nematicide, rodenticide,
etc.
Repellant A chemical which has the property of inducing avoidance by a particular pest.
Residue Amount of pesticide remaining in or on plant tissues (or in soil) after a given time,
especially at harvest time.
Resistance The natural or induced capacity to avoid or repel attack by pests (or parasites). Also
the ability to withstand the toxic effects of a pesticide or a group of pesticides, often by
metabolic detoxification.
Rodenticide A toxicant effective against rodents.
Symbiosis The general term for two organisms that live together in a partnership, sometimes
beneficial; includes commensalism, inquilinism, mutualism, and parasitism.
Systemic A pesticide absorbed through the plant surfaces (usually roots) and translocated
through the plant vascular system.
Tolerance Ability to endure infestation (or infection) by a particular pest (or pathogen) without
showing severe symptoms of distress.
Toxicity Ability to poison, or to interfere adversely with vital processes of the organism by
physio-chemical means
Vector- Organisms able to transmit viruses or other pathogens either directly or indirectly.
Direct virus vectors include insects, mites, and nematodes.

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b. Pest concept
The concept of pest
A pest is any living organism, whether animal, plant or fungus, which is invasive or
troublesome to plants or animals, human or human concerns, livestock, or human
structures.
Any organism that reduces the availability, quantity, or value of some human resources.

Organisms that have become pests are not limited to any class or phyla. These organisms
are varied in their habits that make them undesirable.
 insects (the most diverse and numerous of all animals)
 mites, nematodes, mollusks and other invertebrates’ species
 vertebrates (rodents and birds)
 pathogens
 weeds
Pest problems are most frequently the result of a species papulation and remaining for
some reason, more dense than normal.
Insect pest -any insect which annoys, injure or damage plant directly or indirectly.
Damage/injury may be in the form of:
 crop yield reduction
 quality reduction
 transmission of disease agent

Category of pest status

1. Key pest
Are serious, perennially occurring persistent species that requires control measure to be
taken regularly because in the absence of control they frequently occur at above
economic injury threshold level. The key pest is the focal point of the management
system
2. Occasional pest
Are relatively minor pest that rise to economically damaging levels only at certain times
or in certain place. These pests are susceptible to an integrated pest control approach
aimed at preventing prevention of occasional outbreaks.

3. Potential pest

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 Causes no significant damage under the conditions of currently prevailing in the
agroecosystem. In attempts to manage key pest care must be taken not to alter the
conditions of the agroecosystem so that then potential pest may not erupt as a severe pest.
4. Migrant pest
Are non-residents of the agroecosystems that enters periodically, and which may cause
severe economic damage. The ecological approach to the control of such pest is still valid
but must be applied in the perspective of a very large geographic area.
Example: migratory locust and army worm
5. Others.
Many others phytophagous forms may be present in the agroecosystem but are
considered to be non pest.

c. Integrated pest management

Overview
IPM is selection, integration and implementation of pest management that will ensure
favorable economic, ecological, and sociological consequences. IPM is not a packaged
technology for pest control. It is philosophy embodying a design and evaluation process
for decision making in managing ecosystems to maintain pest population below
damaging level.
Objective
 The main objective of IPM is to improve decision making.
 It is concern of IPM to provide the necessary knowledge and tools the different
groups of decision makers to improve their capability in making sound decision
needed in the development and implementation of pest management programs.
 Pest management is people-oriented and, in order for it to be put into general
practice, the management technology and successfully teach it to others
 With the successful implementation of IPM, it is expected that:
1. Ecological disruption and unexpected pest outbreaks are minimized
2. Natural control is maximized.
3. Better pest management decisions are made.

Concept and Principles of IPM

a. A species is not considered a pest if occurs below damaging levels.
 Insect may occur in all fields but only in small numbers. When species population
become and remain, for some reason, higher than normal, and then they can be
considered pests.
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  Remember that no two pest situations are the same; often there will be a
significant difference in pest populations even between neighboring fields.
 Pest situation of the same field will vary from season to season or year to year in
the character or severity of its pest problems.

b. The ecosystem is the management unit.

 The individual organism, the population, the community and the physical factors
are the building blocks of the ecosystem.
 It includes the farmer and his family, his work animals and other livestock and his
surroundings.
 The value of ecosystem is that it emphasizes the interaction of all factors in a
given area, and that it forces us to look further than studies in isolated areas or
aspects of biological activity.
 Diversifying the ecosystem can be important in encouraging the role of natural
enemies.

c. Natural control must be maximized.

 IPM is ecologically based pest control strategy that relies heavily on natural
factors such as natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, and microorganisms) and
weather.
 Control by natural enemies (biological control) is cheap, effective, permanent,
and non-disruptive of the element of the system.
 In rice ecosystem, plant feeding and beneficial arthropods are predominant. In
most cases, the beneficial ones are more in number and species than the pest they
control.
 In pest management, natural enemies need to be conserved and augmented or
improve their effectiveness.

d. Control procedures must not produce unexpected undesirable effects.

 Artificial control must be looked on as tools to be fitted into the environment with
little disruption as possible.
 The effect of the various actions both on each other and on the rest of the
environment must be considered to prevent the negation of one pest control factor
by another.

Control procedures must not produce unexpected undesirable effects.

1. Artificial controls must be looked on as tools to fit into the environment with
little disruption as possible.

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 2. The effect of various actions both on each other and on the rest of the
environment must be considered to prevent the negation of one pest control
factor by another.
3. Actions should be made to restore and preserve natural balances in the system
and not to eliminate species.
Identify other information needed for better pest management decision making.
1. IPM program does not include eradication methods. The concept is to
suppress a pest and not to annihilate it.
2. IPM uses pesticides, but only after natural control factors operating on the
ecosystem have been carefully considered.
3. Pesticides become useful when other carefully plan control management
options have failed and emergency intervention is necessary.
4. The crucial problem, however, for pesticide use to become an integral part of
a successful pest management programs is the proper timing of pesticides
treatments.
5. Furthermore, any person working with pesticides in the field should be aware
of:
a) The identity of the chemicals being used
b) How it should be used or applied
c) Hoe much to use
d) When to apply
e) Hoe often it should be applied
f) The potential human, livestock, and environmental toxicity of
the material
g) Safety precautions that may be needed
h) What to do in case of emergency (poisoning)
It is equally important to know from the past management point of view:
1. The identity of the target pest for each application
2. What non-target species are in the field especially natural enemies and
pollinators that might be affected by the application.
3. What alternative methods or materials may be available for the management
of the target pest.
4. It is the responsibility of the person who prescribes or recommended the use
of any insecticide to equip the user with this information. It is only then that
pesticide use can be a successful component of pest management program.
5. Remember that many species of rice pests are highly mobile, hence individual
management effort of farmers may not suffice.
6. Spray activities in individual fields often make pest population unpredictable
and encourage patches of extremely high densities.
7. The average pest densities recover more rapidly than predator/parasitoids
densities. Therefore, an individual farmer’s effort to decrease pest may in fact

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 result in an increase of insect pests and the farmer will have to pay an
ecological cost and health cost in addition the cost of insecticides and labor.

Identify the factors that affect pest status, pest damage and pest management.

Pesticides and other Technologies

Economic Factors Agricultural policies

Pest problem and appropriate pest

management practices
Beneficial organisms Climatic condition

Cropping system and agronomic

factors

Discuss the guidelines in the effective implementation of IPM in the rice farm.
a. Explain the crop’s biology and how it is influenced by the immediate
environment.
b. Identify key pests and their biology, behavior, and distribution as influenced by
the environment, then pinpoint weak links in their life cycle.
c. Identify existing biological control agents of major pests and understand their
biology and distribution.
d. Develop management methods that conserve augment existing biological control
agents.
e. Practice a sound monitoring system.
f. Practice field sanitation and crop diversification.
g. Practice synchronous planting.

4. References

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Agriculturist’s Licensure Examination Reviewer 2014. Crop Protection Module, Central
Mindanao State University, Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija.
Kabir, M. H., and Rainis, R. (2015). Do farmers not widely adopt environmentally friendly technologies?
Lesson from Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
P. Karuppuchamy, Sheela Venugopal (2016). Chapter 21 - Integrated Pest Management, Editor(s):
Omkar, Ecofriendly Pest Management for Food Security, Academic Press, Pages 651-684, ISBN
9780128032657,

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