List of six FAQs on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with their relevant answers.
Q.1. How would you define integrated pest management?
Ans. IPM is a process consisting of the balanced use of cultural, biological, and chemical procedures that are environmentally compatible and economically feasible to reduce pest populations to tolerable levels.
Q.2. What are some of the benefits of integrated pest management?
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Ans. IPM is beneficial in that it is easy, saves money, promotes a healthy environment and maintains a good public image.
Q.3. IPM is based on monitoring, assessment, and appropriate action. What does each of these steps involve?
Ans. Monitoring involves regular checking of an area, early detection and proper identification of pests, and identification of the effectiveness of biological control agents. Assessment involves determining the potential for pest populations to reach an economic threshold or an intolerable level. Appropriate action involves using the beneficial aspects of integrated pest management to prevent loss or damage.
Q.4. Why is the proper identification of pests so important?
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Ans. Proper identification of a pest is important because certain management practices will control only one species or the other. Correct identification enables you to manage the real source of the problem and avoid treating only the symptoms.
Q.5. What is an economic threshold and what does it have to do with IPM?
Ans. Economic thresholds are levels that mark the highest point a pest population can reach without risk of economic loss. It is important because it is a major factor in preventing loss of yield or quality.
Q.6. Name three different types of controls used in IPM and give an example of each.
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Ans. Cultural controls disrupt the environment of a pest; an example is removal of infected material. Biological controls use natural enemies to a pest, for example mites that feed on mite pests. Physical barriers are the use of artificial material, for example, netting over fruits.