Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Inasion stage/
approach
Specific practices
Organic
Conentional
Conservation
Avoid use of biocides that disrupt natural
enemies and competitors
Common
Occasional
Unsuitable
environment
Ventilation, humidity, and temperature
control (greenhouses and storage
facilities), humidity control by irrigation,
irradiation
Common
Common
Curaties
A
(at population leel)
Synthetic pesticides
Various systemic and contact
insecticides, molluscicides, acaricides
and fungicides, pyrethroids
Absent
Exceptional
Common
Common
Organics
Soaps, oils, compost teas
Common
Rare
Inorganics
Sulfur dust and sprays, diatomaceous
earth, micronutrients (Si or Zn), iron
phosphate, CO
2
, N
2
, copper hydroxide,
Bordeaux mixture
Common
In some
countries
Common
Botanicals
Plant extracts without petroleum-based
synergists (pyrethrum, rotenone,
nicotine, neem, horsetail)
Rare
Rare
Inundative
biological control
Predators (e.g. ladybirds, predatory
mites), parasitoids (e.g. egg parasitoids,
larval parasitic wasps and flies), bacteria
(e.g.
Bacillus
thuringiensis,
B
.
subtilis
),
entomopathic and nematopathic fungi
(e.g.
Entomophthora,
Trichoderma,
Beauveria
and
Verticillium
), viruses (e.g.
arboviruses)
Occasional
B
Occasional
Physical removal
Trapping, vacuuming, handpicking,
hunting
Occasional
Rare
A
In the plant pathology literature, only systemic fungicides with kick-back action are considered curative, but here, we
include any pesticides that limit further spread of pests and diseases in the plant population.
B
Provided no
petroleum-based synergists or carriers are used.
sanitation, exclusion, trapping and the use of a variety of repellents (visual, vegetation man-
agement, auditory) but exclude the use of many fumigants, anticoagulants and toxins.
Organic growers may therefore expect to encounter most of the same pests and pathogens
as conventional growers in their fields. However, the dynamics of these organisms depend on
the extent to which the organism's resource requirements are met and degree to which natural
controls are functioning in the management system. Therefore, for many pests and pathogens,
organic practices reduce the probability of establishment and spread in the crop field despite
the presence of the same crop host. For other pests and pathogens, organic practices promote
suitable conditions for population growth, resulting in particular challenges for growers with
limited agrochemical options.
Pest and disease management in organic ersus conentional agriculture
Crop protection in organic agriculture is accomplished through three general approaches, by:
1 preventing colonisation by pests and pathogens;
2 regulating the abundance of pests and pathogens at low levels through biological processes;
and
3 employing curatives that are allowed under organic agriculture guidelines.
