Integrated Pest Management.

What is Integrated Pest Management and how do we use it on a daily basis?

This is the Horticulture, Arboriculture and Agriculture Industries' holistic approach to pest and disease management.

The word 'Integrated' really sums up the ideology. It is a multi-faceted approach, using a variety of methods in unity, and these have been put into an Order of Hierarchy to dictate how the situation is treated.

It is now well known that a single tiered approach can yield average and inconsistent results. When tackled with a few different resources, results are greatly improved, pest control has higher chance of being successful in the long term, and chemical usage can be greatly reduced.

Pest control starts with accurate Identification and Prevention. By knowing what the target pest is and its life cycle, we can understand which approaches to take. This also removes the "Cowboy" approach of just throwing chemicals around. Prevention can be as simple as maintaining a good healthy layer of mulch.

Next are our Cultural and Sanitation methods. This is all about how we go about our daily business. Cleaning tools regularly helps prevent a lot of fungal diseases from being transmitted between plants or sites. Mowing or slashing before seed-set will reduce the next years seed bank. Rotating stock and crops. Planting more native species. These are just a few examples of little changes in behavior, but ones that will have great effect.

Now we get to treating the pest. Physical and Mechanical methods are all about physically removing the pest species. We can do that by hand weeding garden beds and lawns, hosing Aphids off with high pressure, installing Rabbit guards along fences, just to name a few.

Biological Control has always existed but is now getting a big name for itself. The most basic form of this, I'm sure everyone has heard of, is Companion Planting. The plants used in this will attract our beneficial insects and animals that naturally combat the pest species. There are now multiple companies in Australia that you can buy beneficial insects like Ladybugs and Lacewings.

And finally, Chemicals. I'm by no means saying chemical shouldn't be used, more so used with care and consideration. The most widely used herbicide in the World is Glyphosate (Round Up, Weedmaster Duo etc). that is because it is highly effective and safe when used in accordance with the label. "Natural" alternatives do exist, however are not as effective and most have either similar toxicity or even a higher poison schedule. Chemical Intervention is also very useful when treating turf for weeds. So always use the right chemical and always read the label before use.

As a Horticulturist, this is the approach that I use to assess how to control a pest species. I am constantly learning about new techniques, tools and other control methods. Next year I will be doing a small trial, aiming to control Aphids on flowering Plums with a biological agent. The hope will be to reduce damage from Aphids, whilst maintaining Bee colony health by avoiding pesticides at this vulnerable time.