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

The Georgia Pest Management Handbook provides current information on selection, application, and safe use of pest control chemicals. This handbook has recommendations for pest control around homes and on pets; for pests of home garden vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals; and for pests of public health interest associated with our homes. Cultural, biological, physical, and other types of control are recommended where appropriate. Pesticide recommendations are based on information on the manufacturer labels and on performance data from research and extension trials at the University of Georgia and its sister institutions. Because environmental conditions, the severity of pest pressure, and methods of application vary widely, recommendations do not imply that performance of pesticides will always be acceptable. This publication is intended to be used only as a guide. Trade and brand names are used only for information. The University of Georgia does not guarantee nor warrant published standards on any product mentioned; nor does the use of a trade or brand name imply approval of any product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. Always follow the use instructions and precautions on the pesticide label. For questions, concerns, or improvement suggestions regarding the Georgia Pest Management Handbook, please contact your county agent.

Integrated control of pests was practiced early in this century, well before anyone thought to call it "integrated control" or, still later, "integrated pest management" (IPM), which is the subject of this book by Mary Louise Flint and the late Robert van den Bosch. USDA entomologists W. D. Hunter and B. R. Coad recommended the same principles in 1923, for example, for the control of boll weevil on cotton in the United States. In that program, selected pest-tolerant varieties of cotton and residue destruction were the primary means of control, with insecticides consid ered supplementary and to be used only when a measured incidence of weevil damage occurred. Likewise, plant pathologists had also developed disease management programs incorporating varietal selection and cul tural procedures, along with minimal use of the early fungicides, such as Bordeaux mixture. These and other methods were practiced well before modern chemical control technology had developed. Use of chemical pesticides expanded greatly in this century, at first slowly and then, following the launching of DDT as a broadly successful insecticide, with rapidly increasing momentum. In 1979, the President's Council on Environmental Quality reported that production of synthetic organic pesticides had increased from less than half a million pounds in 1951 to about 1.4 billion pounds-or about 3000 times as much-in 1977.

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

It is an edited book with chapters written by multi-disciplinary specialists in their specific subject areas. It covers development of IPM components and packaging them for individual vegetable crops specifically targeted to tropical countries. Scientific background for IPM components or tactics will be included. There will be case studies of IPM packages developed and implemented in different countries. The concept of IPM has been in existence for the past six decades; however, a practical holistic program has not been developed and implemented for vegetable crops, in the developing countries. Currently the IPM adoption rate in the tropics is minimal and there is a need for implementation of IPM technologies that are environmentally safe, economical, and socially acceptable. We believe that adoption and implementation of IPM provided in this book will lead to significant reduction in crop losses and mitigate adverse impacts of pesticide use in the tropics. This book is an outcome 20 years of research, development and implementation of the IPM CRSP, a project supported by USAID and administered by Virginia Tech in several developing countries along the tropical belt in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. ​