Adoption Of Integrated Pest Management Practices Research Articles

Farmers’ behaviour in the use of integrated pest management (IPM) practices: perspectives through the social practice theory

For many years, official agricultural policy efforts in Iran have focused on promoting the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices among farmers. Despite the major advantages of this system for human health and the environment, the adoption rate and implementation of IPM practices at the farm level has been slow. This study explores factors influencing farmers’ behaviour in the use of IPM practices, based on an expanded version of the Social Practice Theory (SPT). A sample of 325 tomato farmers in 30 villages of Golestan province in northeastern Iran participated in the study. The adoption of IPM practices among tomato farmers was less than average. The most common IPM practices adopted by the farmers were some simple and well-known practices such as collection and removal of contaminated parts of the plant and using resistant cultivars. Using factor analysis, four large groups of items were identified as key SPT constructs, i.e. materials (tools, technologies and infrastructure), competences (knowledge, skills, and abilities), meanings (values and commitments) and institutional support (support from government, local institution and market supply chain) for the use of IPM practices. Multiple linear analysis showed that the total effects of materials (β = 0.190), competences (β = 0.214), institutional supports (β = 0.324), education (β = 0.258) and tomato growing income (β=-0.102) on the use of IPM practices were significant. Thus, the SPT framework was found to be a useful tool for explaining farmers’ adoption of IPM practices. Further design of IPM development programs should be based on a holistic approach, which must supply materials, enhance competence and improve commitment of local and national institutions to provide requirements for use of IPM practices at farm level.

Problems faced and their suggestions from sugarcane farmers in the adoption of integrated pest management

This study was conducted at Khairabad Development Block of Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh during 2015-16 to find out the problems faced by sugarcane farmers in the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. Five villages were randomly selected from this development block, and 20 sugarcane farmers from each village were selected by random sampling, resulting in a sample size of 100 respondents. The study found that information on ‘lack of information about bio-agent, bio-fertilizers, and bio-pesticides in rural areas’ (89%), quality IPM materials are not available in farmer's sales centers’ (88%), and found that the ‘improved IPM tools are not available in rural areas’ (86%) were the major problems faced by respondents in adopting integrated pest management for sugar cane crop cultivation. ‘Credit facilities made easily available at low-interest rate’ (86%), ‘provide quality IPM materials at farmer's sales centers’ (84%), and ‘provide suitable information about bio-agent, bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides in rural areas’ (78%) were major suggestions offered by respondents in the adoption of IPM practices in sugarcane crop cultivation.

Toxicity of Insecticides and Miticides to Natural Enemies in Australian Grains: A Review.

Simple SummaryControlling invertebrate pests in crop fields using chemicals has been the main management strategy within the Australian grains industry for decades. However, chemical use can have unintended effects on natural enemies, which can play a key role in suppressing and controlling pest outbreaks within crops. We undertook a literature review of studies that have conducted chemical toxicity testing against arthropod natural enemies relevant to the Australian grains industry to examine trends and highlight research gaps and priorities. Most toxicity trials have been conducted in the laboratory, with few at larger, and hence, industry-relevant scales. Researchers have used a variety of methods when conducting toxicity testing, making it difficult to compare within and across different species of natural enemies. Furthermore, we found many gaps in testing, leading to unknown toxicity effects for several key natural enemies, some of which are economically important predators and parasitoids. Through our review, we make several key recommendations for future areas of research that could arm farmers and their advisors with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions when it comes to controlling crop pests.Continued prophylactic chemical control to reduce pest populations in Australian grain farming systems has limited the effectiveness of biological control via natural enemies in crops within an integrated pest management (IPM) framework. While a variety of data is available to infer potential non-target effects of chemicals on arthropod natural enemies, much of it may be irrelevant or difficult to access. Here, we synthesise the literature relevant to Australian grain crops and highlight current knowledge gaps for potential future investment. A range of testing methodologies have been utilised, often deviating from standardised International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) protocols. Consistent with findings from over 30 years ago, research has continued to occur predominantly at laboratory scales and on natural enemy families that are easily reared or commercially available. There is a paucity of data for many generalist predators, in particular for spiders, hoverflies, and rove and carabid beetles. Furthermore, very few studies have tested the effects of seed treatments on natural enemies, presenting a significant gap given the widespread global use of neonicotinoid seed treatments. There is a need to validate results obtained under laboratory conditions at industry-relevant scales and also prioritise testing on several key natural enemy species we have identified, which should assist with the adoption of IPM practices and decrease the reliance on broad-spectrum chemicals.

Impact of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Practices on Tomato Cultivation in Gazipur District of Bangladesh

An experiment was conducted at Nagari union in Kaligonj Upazila of Gazipur district to determine the impact of Integrated Pest Management practices on tomato cultivation. Data were collected by using pre-designed interview schedule from 1st March to 5th August, 2014. The results of the study showed that in the study area farmers cultivated tomato in 14.6% of their land and there are eight IPM practices which are generally used by the farmers in their tomato fields. Regarding the overall adoption of IPM practices in tomato cultivation, 65.0% respondent farmers were in medium to high adoption category. The IPM Practice Use Index (IPUI) was found significantly higher in case of IPM adopters than in case of IPM non-adopters. But “use of pheromone trap”, “setting up the bamboo stick in the field” and “cultivation and use of green manure” were ranked as 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively in case of IPM adopters whereas “setting up bamboo stick in field”, “cultivation and using green manure” and “use quality and resistant seeds” obtained 1st, 2nd and 3rd rank, respectively in case of IPM non-adopters. The average infestation of insect and disease was found significantly lower in the fields of IPM adopter (9.7%) than IPM non-adopter (11.8%). The average frequency of chemical use in the season was also significantly lower in the fields of IPM adopter (2.14 times) than IPM non-adopter (3.44 times). The marketable yield was found significantly higher in the fields of IPM adopter (51.34 t/ha) than in the fields of IPM non-adopter (42.24 t/ha). The average gross return was also significantly higher in case of IPM adopter (526,143 taka/ha) than IPM non-adopter (472,647 taka/ha). The Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) of IPM adopter (2.41) was also found significantly higher than the BCR of IPM non-adopter (1.44).

Adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) practices by the vegetable growers at sadar upazila under Jhenaidah district

The purposes of the study were to determine the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices by the vegetable growers and to explore the relationships between the adoption of IPM practices in vegetable cultivation and the selected characteristics of the vegetable growers. Data were collected from randomly selected 101 respondents of the three selected villages of ganna union under sadar upazila of Jhenaidah district using interview schedule by the researchers during May to August, 2017. Appropriate scales were used to measure the variables of the study. Correlation test was used to explore the relationships between concerned independent and dependent variables. Majority (72.28%) of the respondents had medium annual income from vegetable cultivation. Majority (58.42%) of the respondents spent moderate time in vegetable field. About one third (36.63%) of the respondents had low knowledge on IPM practices. Majority (58.42%) of the respondents had very low organizational participation and 38.62% of the respondents had low contact with IPM club and FFS. Most (98.02%) of the respondents had low cosmopoliteness. Most (80.20%) of the respondents had low extension media exposure. About half (51.49%) of the respondents had low training exposure related to cultivation practices. Majority (63.37%) of the respondent had unfavorable attitude towards IPM practices. Majority (70.30%) of the respondents had medium level adoption in commonly used IPM practices in vegetable cultivation. Use of pesticides ranked 1st(score 295) as IPM practices compared to other environment friendly practices. Among the fourteen selected characteristics of the respondents, educational qualification, time spent in vegetable field, knowledge on IPM practices in vegetable cultivation, contact with IPM club and FFS, training exposure and attitude towards IPM practices showed positive significant relationships with the adoption of selected IPM practices by the vegetable growers.
 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(3): 366–371, December 2018

Red palm weevil incidence: Spatial pattern and implications in technology adoption

<p>Red palm weevil (RPW) is one of the major fatal pests of coconut. Conventional extension approaches need to be refined for<br />achieving the desired outcome on adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies against RPW, especially among small<br />and marginal farming communities. The pattern of incidence, severity of infestation and age of palms are the factors motivating<br />farmers for adoption of IPM practices. Taking these into account, a technology delivery approach for RPW management was<br />evolved and implemented in the entire geographical extent of 520 ha area of Edava grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram<br />district of Kerala state, India. This approach involves farmer participatory surveillance and monitoring with technical facilitation<br />from research institutions which is a paradigm shift to community based area wide management strategies. Besides holdings’<br />profile, number of RPW infested/lost palms and GPS (i.e., latlong) coordinates of infested palms were recorded. The spatial<br />distribution pattern was analyzed using Indices of Dispersion (ID), Patchiness (IP) Cluster Frequency (ICF) and Mean Crowding<br />(IMC) at different cluster levels (i.e., holdings, administrative segments and grids). ESRI GIS software was used to depict geospatial<br />patterns of RPW infestation. Among 5410 coconut holdings, 18.7 per cent were having RPW infested palms. The pest incidence<br />in juvenile palms was significantly higher compared to adult palms. The distribution pattern of infested palms was observed to be<br />aggregated. Knowledge level of farmers regarding aspects of pest and management was below 10 per cent. The proposed<br />methodology of participatory data documentation resulted in rapid and reliable collection of data from large area with an additional<br />benefit of experiential learning for farmers in the locality.</p>

Adoption and Factors Affecting on Adoption of Integrated Pest Management among Vegetable Farmers in Sri Lanka

The overuse and misuse of chemical pesticides has widely been reported in vegetable cultivation in Sri Lanka. While safer and environmental friendly pest and disease management methods such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are popular around the world, only little effort has been taken to promote IPM in Sri Lankan vegetable cultivation. Furthermore, farmers have not shown much interest on practicing IPM in vegetable cultivation. However, the level of IPM adoption by vegetable farmers and the factors influencing the adoption and strategies to promote IPM in vegetable cultivation have not been identified. Accordingly, this study was conducted to identify the level of IPM adoption and factors influencing the adoption of IPM in vegetable cultivation and to understand the strategies for promoting vegetable IPM in future. Primary data was collected by interviewing 290 farmer households. ‘Level of adoption’ and ‘farmers’ knowledge’ on nine practices used in IPM technique were tested and nine socio-economic variables were analyzed to identify the factors influencing the IPM adoption. Findings indicated that the main income source of the majority (68%) of respondents was from vegetable farming from which at least half of their household income was secured. A total of 47% farmers apply chemical pesticides before pests or diseases appear in the field as a routine activity, and without considering the ‘economic threshold level’. Although the majority (60%) of farmers have used the recommended dosage in spraying, mixing several pesticides when applying was common. According to the findings, although the term IPM was familiar to 44% of respondents, only 20% s had a certain level of understanding on the IPM technique. The adoption of IPM practices among farmers was not at a satisfactory level. Practices known and followed for a long time were better adopted compared to the practices which are relatively novel. Results also showed that despite the adoption of these practices, understanding of farmers regarding the benefits and the appropriate use of such practices was not at a satisfactory level. “Farmers’ knowledge on IPM” had a positive impact while the “proportionate income from vegetable cultivation” was negative on the level of IPM adoption. In addition, the results showed that gaps in policy and institutional setup, negative attitudes of farmers and officers on IPM were conduce for the lower adoption level of IPM in the vegetable cultivation.

Factors determining adoption of integrated pest management by vegetable growers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand

Widespread use of highly toxic pesticides primarily for agricultural purpose has generated increasing concerns about the negative impact of pesticides on human health and the environment. Integrated pest management (IPM) usually seeks to minimize the use of pesticides and can be utilized to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment. A total of 220 vegetable farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima Province of Thailand was interviewed with the objective of investigating the factors determining their adoption or non-adoption of IPM practices. The findings demonstrated that farmers had different uncompromising reasons for determining the use of IPM for their insect pest management. Higher costs of insecticides (91%), adverse effects of insecticides on human health and the environment (80%), and a greater risk of insect pests developing resistance to insecticides (28%) were the primary reasons for the adoption of IPM by vegetable growers in the study area. The reasons for the rejection of IPM practice were unsuitability of IPM for a large farm (52%), implementation difficulties (80%) and a greater belief in synthetic insecticides and their efficacy for target pest control (39%). A comparison between the IPM and the non-IPM farmers showed a significant difference (P < 0.01) in farmers' knowledge of pest management, which influenced IPM adoption or non-adoption. The IPM farmers had greater knowledge about identifying natural enemies and their beneficial role in controlling insect pests, about plant extracts and their efficacy in controlling insect pests and about sticky traps and their efficacy in monitoring natural enemies and controlling insect pests. For example, 24% of IPM farmers had knowledge of natural enemies whereas it was only 4% for the non-IPM farmers. A logistic regression model was fitted which showed that lower cost of pest management, better knowledge on IPM after training and availability of extension services were the factors which influenced farmers' adoption of IPM practice. The non-IPM farmers rejected adoption of IPM due to the common belief that natural enemies would not be effective in controlling insect pests and yields of vegetables would not be increased by practicing IPM.

Impact of farmer field schools on adoption of integrated pest management practices among cotton farmers in Pakistan

In Pakistan, farmer field schools (FFS) are enhancing skills of cotton farmers to adopt integrated pest management (IPM) practices for effective control of pests. To evaluate the impact of FFS on IPM practices, the present study was carried out in the Punjab province of Pakistan. A cross sectional data set of 325 cotton farmers was collected to estimate the impact of farmer field schools on the adoption of IPM practices as well as cotton yield and pesticide demand. A propensity score-matching (PSM) approach was employed to correct for selectivity bias. The results indicate that FFS participants have a higher knowledge level about IPM practices, compared to non-participants. Moreover, the results indicate positive and significant impact of FFS on the adoption of IPM practices, cotton yields and efficient pest management.

EVALUATING COTTON INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) FARMER FIELD SCHOOL OUTCOMES USING THE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS APPROACH IN INDIA

Farmer field schools (FFSs) were conducted in southern India to reduce pesticide input and enhance sustainability of cotton production systems. This study was carried out to determine the additional benefits of FFSs in the social and economic arena, using the sustainable livelihoods (SL) concept to frame the evaluation. Farmers who had participated in the integrated pest management (IPM) FFSs perceived a range of impacts much beyond the adoption of IPM practices. The reduced cost of cultivation allowed for financial recovery from debt and the building of physical assets. IPMFFS households and production systems were perceived by the participants to have become more economically resilient than Non-IPMFFS control groups when faced with adversity. In the participants' view, IPMFFSs also led to enhanced individual and community social well-being, a benefit valued in particular by the women participants. The study tested a new application of the SL conceptual framework as a tool for evaluation.