Natural Resource Systems Sample Lesson

Matches National AFNR Career Cluster Content Standards: CS.01.03.01, CS.01.05.01, CS.03.03.01, CS.05.02.01, CS.05.03.02, CS.09.03.01, ABS.07.02.01, BS.01.01.02, BS.01.01.03, PS.03.03.03, PS.03.04.01.

MAIN IDEAS: What is integrated pest management (IPM), what does it do, how can producers use it effectively, and how can they keep up to date with the rapid changes taking place in IPM technology?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can be defined as a comprehensive system of choosing pest management practices from among all available agronomic practices, including cultural, biological and chemical techniques. Selection of practices using an IPM approach is based on the following criteria:

To be used realistically by a producer IPM techniques must be:

1. Effective;
2. Environmentally safe;
3. Give practical and achievable results; and
4. Be economically profitable

To choose a correct agronomic practice, an IPM technique, for controlling or preventing a problem in a crop, a producer must:

1. Know the growth cycle of the crop and how these different growth stages would be affected by pests;
2. Be able to recognize and identify the pest;
3. Have a working knowledge of the pest:
   
   • What causes the pest to flourish?
     
   • What methods can control the pest?
     
   • How do weather conditions influence populations and trigger life cycle stages?
4. Know options available to prevent infestation by the pest.
5. Be ready to select options to control the pest if infestation does occur.
6. Keep up with the latest weather forecasts that influence pest activity.
7. Be aware of the latest research on new IPM methods.

With most agronomic problems, there are few "rescue" programs unless you are dealing with a row crop. This points to the importance of "prevention."

NONCHEMICAL CONTROLS

A healthy crop is one of the best prevention measures that can be used. Good growth can compete with weeds, as well as resisting insects and diseases. Practical practices that will minimize the need for chemical controls include:

• Crop rotation is growing a planned set of crops in a particular order. A benefit of crop rotation is that it changes the field environment each year, making it harder for a particular weed or insect to get established.

• The correct planting date should be chosen according to temperature. This means planting the crop when it is most competitive and helps ensure that the plant will be mature enough to withstand attack by insects.

• The correct planting rate creates an environment in which the crop is conducive to its own growth by being more competitive against weeds.

• Using clean certified seed results in fewer weeds since seeds do not include weed seeds.

• Using resistant varieties offers natural protection from pest invasions in crops. Many new, resistant varieties have been produced in recent years using genetic engineering methods developed through biotechnology.

• Soil testing helps producers to provide the correct nutrients so that plants are less stressed and less likely to succumb to disease and other pests.

USE OF RESCUE MEASURES

Crop "rescue measures" include practices such as such as spraying, introduction of biological predators, cultivating and vacuuming. To decide when to use such measures, the principle of "economic threshold" can be applied.

In a typical pest management situation, the producer or a crop consultant scouts the crop to determine the type of insects present and the level of crop damage risk. Based upon the scouting results, decisions are made on when and what type of treatments will be applied. Economic threshold is simply a level at which the dollar value of the potential damage by a pest is greater than the cost of the practice to correct the problem.

RESEARCH ON NEW IPM METHODS

A primary goal of IPM research is the development of new alternatives to pesticides and integrated tactics that can be used to control pests. Example of pest management tactics being developed include insect attractants, biopesticides and host plant resistance.

In addition, researchers are working on cultural practices such as altered row spacing and rotation patterns that reduce weed populations, and physical barriers such as mulches. Other useful advances will include:

• Host plant resistance is being developed by traditional breeding methodologies and by genetic engineering techniques. Much attention is being given to developing transgenic plants that produce biopesticides or resist virus infection by producing viral coat proteins or enzymes that disrupt viral replication.

• Pesticide resistance management is the use of greater knowledge of how natural and artificial selection contribute to the development of pest resistance to pesticides. This information will be useful in designing IPM systems that limit the development of resistance.

• Application technology will help producers deliver the minimum amount of pesticide required for control, thereby reducing adverse impacts on nontarget organisms.

• Forecasting pest movement and dispersal to precisely time control methods. This will include technologies that improve forecasting of aerial movement of pests and their natural enemies to help managers make informed control decisions.

SOURCES OF LATEST IPM INFORMATION

The best IPM tactics are constantly changing. Researchers are discovering and developing new methods and strategies. In addition, producers and applicators using IPM must keep up on the latest weather conditions and insect forecasts in order to use IPM effectively.

During the past two decades, many state, federal and private organizations have contributed to the development and implementation of IPM methods. Some useful sources of information include:

• Agricultural chemical dealers are a major source of pest management information in many areas of the United States.

• Major food processors strongly encourage contract growers to use IPM methods and help them do so by providing technical support through their field consultants.

• Private consultants provide advice and recommendations on ipm implementation in at least 38 states. Consultants are employed by a large percentage of cotton and southern vegetable producers, but by a smaller percentage of Midwest corn and soybean producers.

• Land grant universities, state extension services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture all have programs to develop and help implement IPM strategies.

• Communications networks are vital to the success of ipm strategies. Effective use of IPM requires fast movement of information among researchers, extension staff, private consultants and producers. Electronic communications networks are used to ensure that information is delivered when and where it is needed. The advent of the World Wide Web has opened many new possibilities

• The National IPM Network is made up of four regional IPM servers. Each of these provides some regional information, plus links to state servers within the region. World Wide Web addresses for the four regions are listed under Internet Resources.

EXERCISES:

Discuss in class and/or write a report answering the following:

1. List four criteria for selecting pest management practices when using the Integrated Pest Management approach.

2. Define crop rotation and describe one benefit of using a crop rotation program. Suggest an example of a pest that can be reduced by crop rotation by farmers in your area.

3. What knowledge must a producer have in order to choose a correct IPM practice for controlling pests?

4. If you were a farmers, where could you go in your area to get the information needed to make effective use of IPM in your operation?

INTERNET RESOURCES:

** National IPM Network - North Central Region
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/nipmn/

** National IPM Network - Northeastern IPM Center
http://northeastipm.org/

** National IPM Network - Southern Region
http://ipm-www.ento.vt.edu/nipmn/

** Mountain West Integrated Pest Management
http://wsprod.colostate.edu/cwis79/ipminfo/index.cfm

TEST:

1. Pest control methods selected for IPM programs are those which are the most effective while remaining environmentally safe. TRUE or FALSE?

2. To develop an IPM program for a crop, you should know the growth cycle of your crop and the growth cycle of the crop's major pests. TRUE or FALSE?

3. List three methods or concepts scientists are working on to help develop more effective IPM methods.
A.
B.
C.

4. The basic concepts and philosophy of IPM are only concerned with safety for humans, wildlife and the environment. TRUE or FALSE?

5. List five sources producers can use to get IPM information.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

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END STUDENT SECTION

TEACHER'S GUIDE

NR131 Understanding Integrated Pest Management

OBJECTIVE: Students will be able to define Integrated Pest Management (IPM), will understand the criteria used to select IPM practices, and will know how to get updated information on the latest IPM information.

PREPARATION: Review lesson content and check out IPM information sources that would be useful to producers in your area. Consider suggested extension in which a team of students does the legwork to investigate IPM information.

INTERNET RESOURCES:

** National IPM Network - North Central Region
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/nipmn/

** National IPM Network - Northeastern IPM Center
http://northeastipm.org/

** National IPM Network - Southern Region
http://ipm-www.ento.vt.edu/nipmn/

** Mountain West Integrated Pest Management
http://wsprod.colostate.edu/cwis79/ipminfo/index.cfm

IMPORTANT TERMS: agronomic, biopesticides, certified seed, crop rotation, economic threshold, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), pesticide resistance, rescue measures, resistant varieties, transgenic plants, World Wide Web.

EXTENSION: Assign a team of students to investigate IPM information sources that can be used by producers in your area. Your county cooperative extension office may be a good place to start. If students are able to use an Internet service, a search there would be helpful. Other contacts could be local chemical dealers, processors who contract with local farmers and specialists at the Land Grant University in your state. Their names, postal and E-mail addresses and phone numbers would be available from your county extension office.

When information has been gathered, student team should make a report of their findings to the rest of the class.

EXERCISE ANSWERS:

1. Acceptable IPM techniques are those which are:

• Effective;
• Environmentally safe;
• Practical and achievable; and
• Economically profitable

2. Crop rotation is growing a planned set of crops in a particular order. A benefit of crop rotation is that it changes the field environment each year, making it harder for a particular weed or pest to get established. A local example may be the corn root worm. Chemical treatment is more likely to be required with continuous corn cropping. Rotation with other crops reduces root worm populations.

3. In order to choose the correct IPM practice, a producer should have knowledge of:

• Lifespan cycle stages of the crop;
• Specific knowledge about the pest;
• Options for both preventing and controlling the pest; and
• Weather conditions and forecasts of insect movements.

In addition, the producer will want to keep up to date on the most recent research results that may provide new, more effective strategies.

4. Best sources of such information depend on what is available in your area. A number of possible sources are listed in the lesson. Producers who now have Internet access will be able to get the latest reports directly from agronomists and entomologists at their state university. In some states such information is also available in the form of IPM newsletters mailed to producers and pest control applicators.

TEST KEY:

1. Pest control methods selected for IPM programs are those which are the most effective while remaining environmentally safe. TRUE or FALSE?

FALSE. IPM methods must pass additional tests. They must be practical, achievable and economically profitable.

2. To develop an IPM program for a crop, you should know the growth cycle of your crop and the growth cycle of the crop's major pests. TRUE or FALSE?

TRUE.

3. List three methods or concepts scientists are working on to help develop more effective IPM methods.

Three could be selected from the following reported in this lesson:

• Biopesticides
• Altered row spacing
• Transgenic plants
• Pesticide resistance management
• Application technology
• Forecasting pest movement

4. The basic concepts and philosophy of IPM are only concerned with safety for humans, wildlife and the environment. TRUE or FALSE?

FALSE. The method must also be effective.

5. List five sources producers can use to get IPM information. Correct answers could be selected from:

• Chemical dealers
• Food processors that contract with growers
• Crop consultants
• County or state extension agents
• World Wide Web sites
• Land Grant Universities
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS:

Across: 1. Temperature, 4. Certified, 8. Management, 9. Biopesticides, 11. Soil, 13. Prevention, 14. Dealers.
Down: 2. Resistant, 3. Private, 5. National, 6. Integrated, 7. Rotation, 10. Pest, 12. Weeds.
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This is an updated version of an original lesson provided by the University of Wisconsin, River Falls, with funding from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection Sustainable Agriculture Project.
Copyright © 1997 Stewart-Peterson, Inc. All Rights Reserved. RF/nc 791090
STEWART-PETERSON and AGEDNET.COM are registered trademarks of Stewart-Peterson, Inc.

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