IPM: Better Pest Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) is not an exercise in better "pesticide management"; it is an ecologically sound method of managing pests that is more effective and, in most cases, more profitable than a strict pesticide program. Although pesticides remain an important tool in an integrated pest management program, they are not the primary or sole tactic. A combination of tactics are used to manage pests. These tactics include:
- crop rotation
- resistant crop cultivars (including transgenic crop cultivars)
- conservation and enhancement of natural enemy populations
- residue removal
- tillage, adjustment of planting and harvest dates
- elimination of weed species that harbor or attract pests
- adjustment of crop rotation sequence
- biological control agents
- good agronomic practices that assure healthy plants
The Department of Entomology has provided resources to assist educators and producers in their IPM implementation.
For more indepth information on IPM, please go to the PA IPM program.
