Integrated Pest Control in the Developing World

Abstract

pest control (IPC) has attracted the greatest interest in North America, Europe, and Australia. Its development in these regions has oc­ curred mainly under the active leadership of the scientific community. Starting in the early 1950s, it was realized that single-method approaches would not provide a permanent answer to most crop protection problems. This origin occasionally created a somewhat academic impression for the noninitiated. In the developing world, however, IPC evolved much more as a direct result of failing chemical control. Almost all the programs developed pro­ vided a direct answer to a worsening pest situation. Therefore, they have a much more pragmatic character in general. In this review, the definition of IPC developed by the Food and Agricul­ ture Organization (FAO) Panel of Experts on Control is used (32, 34). Integrated pest control is a pest management system that, in the context of the associated environment and the population dynamics of the pest species, utilizes all suitable techniques and methods in as compat­ ible a manner as possible and maintains the pest populations at levels below those causing economic injury. This implies that the programs to be dis­ cussed have to fulfill the following criteria: (a) economic damage thresholds are established to determine the need for the application of control mea­ sures, and control actions are taken accordingly; and (b) full consideration is given to the overall importance of natural mortality factors, and every effort is made to maintain or increase their action. Recently, the term pest management has been used, which is identical to IPC; however, pest management without integrated is not. The following quotation from the report of the fourth session of the F AO Panel of Experts on IPe confirms this (34): Pest management includes all