Integrated Pest Management and Sustainable Agriculture

1
Integrated Pest Management and Sustainable
Agriculture
Kathy Murray, Entomologist Katie Jennings,
Project Assistant Maine Department of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources Kathy.murray
_at_maine.gov
2
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)Overview

• Integrated pest management is a holistic approach
  to managing pest problems.
• IPM is used in the home, workplace, garden and
  farm.
• Pests can include insects, weeds, animals and
  microbes that are unwanted in a specific setting.

3
Example of Pests

• Weeds in your garden
• Raccoons in the trash
• Cockroaches in the school
• Blueberry maggot in a commercial lowbush
  blueberry field

4
Manage Pests Safely and Effectively with IPM

• Integrated Pest Management is
• Set of practices that reduce risks posed by pests
  and pesticides.
• Applies knowledge of pests biological and
  ecological needs to outsmart them.
• Saves , earth-friendly, effective
• Safer for people, pets, and the environment

5
Integrated Pest Management

• Basic Principles of IPM
• Pest prevention
• Monitoring for pests
• Multiple least-risk pest control tactics
• Record-keeping and review

6
Examples of IPM Practices

• Screens, barriers (example bird netting, row
  covers, mulch)
• Pruning
• Remove bugs by hand
• Spare the sprays to protect natural enemies

Prevent weeds with paper mulch
7
Teaching IPM

• IPM offers
• Real Life Examples for Learning
• Engaging Activities
• Inquiry-based learning
• Aligned with Standards for Science, Math,
  Language Arts

8
Integrated Pest Management as a Curriculum

• Concepts of IPM are used in every day life
  relevant to K-12 students.
• Why are ticks dangerous?
• What are the benefits of organic vs
  conventionally grown foods?
• Why are bees important?
• What are some of the dangers of pesticides?

9
(No Transcript)
10
Integrated Pest Management as a Curriculum

• Concepts connect students to nature
• IPM teaches how humans manage their
  environments
• Teaches responsible stewardship

11
Maine IPM K-12 Curriculum Demonstration

• Several free integrated pest management
  curriculums and lessons available for K-12
  students

12
IPM Curriculum
13
Department of Agriculture

• New website with IPM resources for teachers!
• http//www.maine.gov/agriculture/pesticides/school
  -ipm-curriculum/index.htm

14
IPM and Sustainable Agriculture

• Emphasizes managing pests in a way with the least
  impact to the environment
• Focus on cultural, physical and biological
  methods before chemical
• Minimum pesticides
• Least toxic applications when necessary

15
Pests in Agriculture

• Weeds!
• Diseases!
• Insect Damage!

Amaranth
Japanese Beetles
Late Blight
16
Cultural IPM Methods

• Mulching
• Can suppress weeds, conserve moisture, provide
  habitat for natural enemies
• Living mulch (eg ryegrass), plastic (colored,
  black or clear), straw, etc.
• pull mulch away from the trunk to decrease pest/
  disease potential
• Sanitation
• Rake leaves to reduce disease
• Prune away diseased plant tissue

17
Physical Methods

• Exclusion by screens, barriers (example bird
  netting, row covers)
• Pruning infested/infected plants
• Physical removal. (example hand-pick bugs!)

18
Biological Methods

• Foster natural predators
• Make the habitat predator friendly
• Introduce natural enemies into certain settings
• Ex Ladybugs into a greenhouse to combat aphid
  infestations

19
Today

• Example Lesson from Pennsylvania State
  Cooperative Extension Greenhouse Lessons
• Whatcha Got There?

20
(No Transcript)
21
You are Invited

• Participate in teaching demonstration project
• Teach one lesson
• Assign and collect a 1-page family activity
  homework assignment.
• Free notebook of lessons and support materials!
• Contact Kathy Murray (287-7616,
  kathy.murray_at_maine.gov) to participate.