IPM is abroad based approach that integrates practices for economic control of pests. IPM aims to suppress pest population below the economic injury level.
Farmer Field School (FFS)
Farmer Field School is a school without walls. Farmers and extension workers are students. The Farmers Field is the class room and the plant is the teacher
A Farmers Field School (FFS) is a “school without walls” bringing 25-30 Farmers from a village to undergo an intensive training on IPM over the entire life cycle of a crop.
Thus, in FFS farmer participants meet for 14-16 weeks, from land preparation to crop harvest, and they are being facilitated by a trainer.
Each FFS has at least 1000m2 “Learning Field”.
Each week, farmers practice plant health, water management, nutrient management, weed density, disease surveillances, weather, insect pest and their predators/parasite observation.
Useful or Beneficial insects
Useful insects include pollinators which is important in the pollination process of all plants, and natural enemies of pests such as parasitoids and predators which are important in the suppression of pest damage to crops.
Methods of pest management
- Mechanical
- Physical
- Cultural
- Biological
- Chemical
Mechanical method:- involve the use of mechanical devices or manual operations for the control of pests. Mechanical method includes following different practices:
a. Destruction
Hand picking:- Usually large size insects (caterpillar, bugs) and their egg masses are hand-picked and destroyed. Eg:- larvae of cabbage caterpillar, tobacco caterpillar etc.
Shaking or beating: Infested plants & their branches are shaken or beaten with a stick to drive among the pests. Eg: houseflies, mustard sawfly, locust etc.
Sieving and winnowing: Insects of stored grains are removed by sieving and / or winnowing.
b) Exclusion:-
Banding: The use of 5 cm wide sticky/greasy band around the trunk of a mango tree, (mango mealy bug)
Wrapping of fruits: Bunches of grapes are wrapped in muslin bags to protect from wasps & bees.
Wire gauge screening: Doors & ventilators of buildings are screened to prevent the entry of houseflies & mosquitoes.
Trench digging: The digging of 30-60 cm wide & 60 cm deep trench around the field gives protection to the crops from hairy caterpillars, grasshopper & locust nymphs.
Use of water barrier: The legs of food or plant cabinets, cages are kept dipped in pots containing water. This prevents the entry of ants to food & plant materials.
Sticky/ Water pan trapping: Aphids & whiteflies are attached by yellow pan trap. Sound traps are used to scare the insects away.
Some interesting facts of insects
Insects species is believed to be between 6-10 million.
Some insects can walk on surface of water.
Insects do not breathe through their mouths. They inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide via holes called spiracles in their exoskeletons.
The most poisonous insects are in the order Hymenoptera (wasp, bees, and ants) and the ones with the most toxic venom are certain harvester ants.
A queen termite has been known to live 50 years. Some wood beetles can emerge from wood where they live after as long as 40 years.
The heaviest insect is probably the African goliath beetle (Megasoma elephas), weighing up to 3.4 oz.
The longest insect is a huge stick insect (Pharnacia serritypes). The females can be over 36 cm in length.
2.Physical Method :-
Physical methods involve the manipulation of temperature, humidity and use of radiant energies. These methods are particularly useful for destroying stored grain pests.
A. Manipulation of Temperature:
High temperature: Most of the insects are killed in a short time when they are exposed to high temperature of 60-66°C. Drying infested stored products in sun for 3-4 hours in summer also kills & prevents store grain pests. Super heating Empty godowns.
Burning: Flame thrower with kerosene fuel have been used for burning the adults & nymphs of desert locusts on desert, barren lands & shrubs in the uncultivated areas.
Low temperature: Nearly all insects become inactive at 60-40 F. Practically no damage occurs from insects at temperature below or near freezing point will prevent all insect damage.