An eco-epidemic model for assessing the application of integrated pest management strategies.

Abstract

Mathematical models have become indispensable tools for analyzing pest control strategies. However, in the realm of pest control studies, the consideration of a plant population being affected by a model that incorporates pests, natural enemies and disease in the pest population has been relatively limited. Therefore, this paper aims to formulate and investigate a hybrid impulsive eco-epidemic model that incorporates disease in the pest population. Initially, we examine the existence and stability of the pest-eradication periodic solution. Subsequently, to explore the impact of chemical and biological control methods, we propose an updated eco-epidemic model that incorporates varying frequencies of pesticide sprays and the release of both infected pests and natural enemies for pest control. We establish threshold values for the susceptible pest eradication periodic solution under different scenarios, illustrating the global attractiveness of this solution. Finally, we discuss the obtained results and suggest potential avenues for future research in this field.