Integrated Pest Management
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated pest management | 病虫害综合治理 | bìng chóng hài zōng hé zhì lǐ |
A smarter way to fight pests
- Spraying pesticide on everything causes pollution and resistance.
- But letting pests destroy the crop is not an option either.
- Farmers need a balanced, thoughtful approach.
- That approach is integrated pest management, or IPM.
Start by watching
- Integrated pest management 病虫害综合治理 combines many methods, not just chemicals.
- The first step is to monitor — count the pests before acting.
- Only if pest numbers rise past a set threshold do you step in.
- This avoids spraying when there is no real problem.
Integrated pest management (IPM) combines several methods to…
IPM combines monitoring, prevention, and natural controls, using pesticides only as a last resort.
Use nature first
- Before reaching for chemicals, IPM uses gentle methods.
- Crop rotation and healthy soil make crops harder to attack.
- Natural predators and parasites keep pest numbers down.
- These methods cause no pollution and build no resistance.
The steps of IPM
Step through IPM - monitor pests, use natural controls first, and spray only as a last resort.
What is a key first step in IPM?
IPM starts by monitoring — you only act if pest numbers actually rise past a threshold.
In IPM, chemical pesticides are used only as a ____ resort.
Pesticides are the last resort in IPM, used sparingly only when other methods fail.
Chemicals only as a last resort
- If natural methods are not enough, then and only then use a pesticide.
- Even then, use the smallest amount of a targeted chemical.
- This keeps pollution low and slows resistance from spreading.
- The result is effective pest control with far less chemical use.
IPM reduces pollution and slows the spread of pesticide resistance.
By using less pesticide, IPM lowers pollution and slows pests from evolving resistance.
Select all true statements about IPM.
IPM minimises pesticide use, not constant spraying. The other three are correct.
The core idea of IPM is that pesticides are a last resort, not a first response. Reaching straight for the sprayer causes pollution and breeds resistance. IPM saves chemicals for when they are truly needed — after monitoring, prevention, and natural controls have been tried.
IPM in an orchard:
- A grower checks the trees weekly and counts the pest insects.
- While numbers stay low, ladybirds and careful pruning keep them in check.
- Only if the pests suddenly surge does the grower use a small, targeted spray — protecting the fruit with a fraction of the chemicals.
Integrated pest management (IPM) controls pests with minimal pesticide. It starts by monitoring pest numbers, then uses prevention and natural controls (crop rotation, natural predators) first. Chemical pesticides are a last resort, used sparingly. IPM cuts pollution and slows the spread of resistance.