Abstract
Arable crops in temperate climatic regions such as the UK and Ireland are subject to a multitude of pests (weeds, diseases and vertebrate/invertebrate pests) that can negatively impact productivity if not properly managed. Integrated pest management (IPM) is widely promoted as a sustainable approach to pest management, yet there are few recent studies assessing adoption levels and factors influencing this in arable cropping systems in the UK and Ireland. This study used an extensive farmer survey to address both these issues. Adoption levels of various IPM practices varied across the sample depending on a range of factors relating to both farm and farmer characteristics. Positive relationships were observed between IPM adoption and farmed area, and familiarity with IPM. Choice of pest control information sources was also found to be influential on farmer familiarity with IPM, with those who were proactive in seeking information from impartial sources being more engaged and reporting higher levels of adoption. Policies that encourage farmers to greater levels of engagement with their pest management issues and more proactive information seeking, such as through advisory professionals, more experienced peers through crop walks, open days and discussion groups should be strongly encouraged.
Highlights
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic approach to managing pests that combines biological, cultural and physical techniques to minimize agrochemical use and so mitigate health and environmental risks, as well as potentially reducing costs.[1]Integrated pest management (IPM) can potentially reduce the need for pesticides through the additive benefits that occur when multiple alterative pest control measures are combined
IPM adoption is widely accepted as being crucial for the sustainability of crop production in Europe and it has been written into European policy.[1]
While several studies have suggested that IPM may lead to a reduction in crop productivity and profitability,[6,7,8] the weight of empirical evidence suggests that careful application of IPM practices can be a viable way to prevent the overuse and unnecessary application of pesticides without incurring significant yield losses.[2,3,4,5]
Summary
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic approach to managing pests that combines biological, cultural and physical techniques to minimize agrochemical use and so mitigate health and environmental risks, as well as potentially reducing costs.[1]IPM can potentially reduce the need for pesticides through the additive benefits that occur when multiple alterative pest control measures are combined. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic approach to managing pests that combines biological, cultural and physical techniques to minimize agrochemical use and so mitigate health and environmental risks, as well as potentially reducing costs.[1]. Arable crops in the UK and Ireland are amongst the most intensively managed in Europe in relation to pesticide use, with farmers b Centre for Agricultural Strategy, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK c Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK d Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, UK e Horticultural Development Department, Teagasc, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland f Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department, Teagasc, Ashtown, Dublin, Ireland g Crop Science Department, Teagasc Oak Park Crops Research Centre, Carlow, Ireland. Integrated pest management (IPM) is widely promoted as a sustainable approach to pest management, yet there are few recent studies assessing adoption levels and factors influencing this in arable cropping systems in the UK and Ireland.
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