Biological Control in Agricultural IPM Systems covers the proceedings of the 1984 symposium on Biological Control in Agricultural IPM Systems, held in the Citrus Research and Education Center of the University of Florida at Lake Alfred. The symposium summarizes the status and practical use of biological control in agricultural integrated pest management (IPM) systems in the United States. The book is organized into seven parts encompassing 31 chapters that cover the biological control of arthropods, weeds, plant pathogens, and nematodes. After briefly discussing the status and issues of biological control in IPM, the book deals with the basic principles of IPM programs and their related costs, risks, and benefits in biological control. The text also describes the compatibility of plant resistance with biological control of arthropods and the chemical mediated host or prey selection behaviors of entomophagous insects attacking herbivorous insect pests. It explains the development of microbial insecticides; the genetic improvement of insect pathogens; the use of entomogenous nematodes in cryptic and soil habitats; and the techniques for integrating the influences of natural enemies into models of crop/pest systems. The fourth part of the book focuses on the biological control of weeds. The following part considers the general concepts relating to the unique characteristics of plant diseases affecting aerial plant parts. This part also examines the biological control of soil plant pathogens in IPM systems and the use of soilborne viruses, bacteriocins, and hypovirulent strains of fungi as biological control agents. The concluding parts describe the biological control of nematodes and the status and limits to biological control in selected commodity IPM systems, such as citrus, grapes, alfalfa, cotton, and soybean. Entomologists, plant pathologists, weed scientists, nematologists, toxicologists, and economists will find this book invaluable.

285 citations with abstracts covering IPM (integrated pest management), natural parasites, fruits, vegetables, shrubs, ornamentals, etc. Author and subject indexes.

Integrated Pest Management: Current Concepts and Ecological Perspective presents an overview of alternative measures to traditional pest management practices using biological control and biotechnology. The removal of some highly effective broad-spectrum chemicals, caused by concerns over environmental health and public safety, has resulted in the development of alternative, reduced risk crop protection products. These products, less toxic to the environment and easily integrated into biological control systems, target specific life stages or pest species. Predation — recognized as a suitable, long-term strategy — effectively suppresses pests in biotechnological control systems. Integrated Pest Management covers these topics and more. It explores the current ecological approaches in alternative solutions, such as biological control agents, parasites and predators, pathogenic microorganisms, pheromones and natural products as well as ecological approaches for managing invasive pests, rats, suppression of weeds, safety of pollinators, role of taxonomy and remote sensing in IPM and future projections of IPM. This book is a useful resource to entomologists, agronomists, horticulturists, and environmental scientists. Fills a gap in the literature by providing critical analysis of different management strategies that have a bearing on agriculture, sustainability and environmental protection Synthesizes research and practice on integrated pest management Emphasizes an overview of management strategies, with critical evaluation of each in the larger context of ecologically based pest management

This important book provides a practical guide to the principles and practice of developing an integrated pest management (IPM) programme. Integrated Pest Management answers the question `how do you devise, develop and implement a practical IPM system which will fully meet the real needs of farmers?'. The term `pest' in this book is used in its broadest sense and includes insects, pathogens, weeds, nematodes, etc. The book commences by outlining the basic principles which underlie pest control (crop husbandry, socio-economics, population ecology and population genetics) and reviews the control mesures available and their use in IPM systems. Subsequent chapters cover the techniques and approaches used in defining a pest problem, programme planning and management, systems analysis, experimental paradigms and implementation of IPM systems. The final seciton of the book contains four chapters giving examples of IPM in different cropping systems, contributed by invited specialists and outlining four different perspectives. Integrated Pest Management will be of great use to agricultural and plant scientists, entomologists, aracologists and nematologists and all those studying crop protection, particularly at MSc level and above. It will be particularly useful for, and should find a place on the shelves of all personnel within the agrochemical industry, universities and research establishments working in this subject area and as a reference in libraries for students and professionals alike.

This textbook presents theory and concepts in integrated pest management, complemented by two award-winning websites covering more practical aspects.

Publisher Description

Contributed papers by experts in the field detail how to put integrated pest management to work. Presents the philosophy and practice, ecological and economic background as well as strategies and techniques including not only the use of chemical pesticides but also biological, genetic and cultural methods to manage the harm done by insect pests. Covers such key crops as cotton, corn, apples and forage. This edition reports important advances of the last decade including an increased environmental and ecological awareness and a trend toward lower chemical pesticide use.