Integrated pest management
Integrated pest management (IPM) means using several methods together, so that pesticides are one tool among many rather than the first and only response.
1. Scout your crop
Walk your field regularly, at least once a week in the growing season. Check the undersides of leaves and the growing points, and look at several spots across the field, not just the edges. Keep a simple record of what you find and when.
2. Act at the threshold
Not every pest needs a spray. The action threshold is the level at which the damage or the cost of the pest justifies control. Thresholds vary by crop and region, so ask your local agriculture officer or our team for the figures for your crop.
3. Use non-chemical methods first
- Choose resistant varieties and healthy seed.
- Rotate crops so pests and diseases do not build up in the same field.
- Remove and destroy infected plant material.
- Encourage natural enemies by avoiding unnecessary broad-spectrum sprays.
- Use traps, such as pheromone or sticky traps, to monitor and reduce some pests.
4. Rotate modes of action
Pests and diseases can become resistant when they are sprayed repeatedly with products that work the same way. Products are grouped by mode of action, for example strobilurin fungicides or pyrethroid insecticides. Alternate between groups across a season instead of using the same group every time. The mode of action is usually printed on the label.
5. Spray only when you need to
When you do spray, follow the label, spray at the right stage of the pest or disease, and cover the target area. A well-timed spray usually works better than several late ones.