In agriculture, one of the most significant challenges is ensuring a crop survives the season. Various factors affect how well a crop does, such as the climate, soil health and pests. Some of these are manageable, while others can’t be changed.

Pest management is one of the factors a farmer can improve on. A pest that gets out of control can damage an entire crop, so it’s necessary to take the correct measures against pests. Traditionally, people have used chemical pesticides and herbicides to mitigate loss due to pests. However, those aren’t necessarily the most sustainable solutions for pest management.

Improving pest management strategy for crop care can be done in an ecofriendly manner, even without harmful pesticides. Integrated pest management (IPM) uses various pest controls to ensure crops get the best care and protection from pests.

Integrated pest management

Through integrated pest management, those in the agricultural sector can improve on their existing pest control practices. The focus of IPM is to offer long-term prevention of pests and damage to crops from any pest.

Integrated pest management involves various techniques, such as manipulating the habitat, biological controls, changing cultural practices and using pesticides deemed safe for the environment if the other approaches fail. The methods chosen for pest management should benefit the environment, pose little to no risk to humans and even encourage beneficial insects.

Before going into detail about different IPM options, you should understand what constitutes a pest. Many people think of insects when they hear the word pest, especially when associated with agriculture. However, there are other types.

Pests are organisms that interfere with a farmer’s garden or crop or do damage in some way. Insects are one of the major pest groups, but a pest can also be a weed such as an invasive plant, an animal like a bird or deer, nematodes, bacteria, fungi or any other unwanted living thing.

Greater effectiveness for crop care through IPM methods

For those in the agricultural sector, you want to either prevent pests, cure damage from pests or even both. With tailored action towards each crop, IPM becomes exceptionally effective.

Before going into one of the IPM methods, one should identify the pest to ensure the tactic will be effective. Below are the different types of integrated pest management tactics that can improve crop care.

Habitat manipulation or biological pest control

One way to improve pest management is through habitat manipulation, otherwise known as biological pest control. The goal is to provide a habitat for natural enemies of pests. You could add certain flowers that attract an insect that is an enemy of your pest, for example.

Habitat manipulation is a natural way to get rid of pests. Figure out what pests you have, what those pests' predators are, and construct an environment suitable for those predators. No pesticides are involved, and it has proven successful.

Suppose you can’t create a habitat that attracts those beneficial predators. In that case, you could purchase natural predators and release them into your crops as long as they are safe for your environment and don’t include invasive species.

Pesticides

You may have to resort to pesticide usage. Pesticides should be used only when absolutely necessary, like in the event of economic thresholds or a rapidly spreading disease.

Typically, you want to use as few pesticides as possible because the chemicals in them can harm the environment and human health. Choose pesticides registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Ensure you know your crops, pests and pesticides and can safely spray with the correct equipment.

Cultural management

When you manipulate the natural culture, you disrupt a safe and suitable environment for pests. Here are a few ways to manage pests by altering their culture:

• Rotate crops each year so pests that don’t move far for the off-season won’t come back. Crop rotation also controls weed populations.
• Use no-till or low-till practices, which reduce seeds from spreading to other crops.
• Adjust growing periods if you can plant year round. Pests will expect crops at a particular time of the year, but if there are no crops to invade, they won’t come back.
• Clean all of the equipment used on the farm. Regular cleaning of equipment washes away seeds and other pests to prevent them from spreading.

There are many other ways to prevent pests using cultural management, so find one that works best for your crops and climate.

Continued management

Once you choose one or a few of these improved pest management strategies for crop care, you need to continue to monitor your crops. You may have to change your plan at some point. Pests adapt because they want to take over your crops, which is why you need to keep up with their every move.

Crop care is an essential part of farming. Without healthy crops, the farmer cannot make a living or provide food for a growing population. Safely administering pest control tactics that are safe for the environment and humans results in an effective industry.