Decrease Pesticide Use Research Articles

Development of an Aesthetic Injury Level to Decrease Pesticide Use Against Orange striped Oakworm (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in an Urban Pest Management Project

The orange striped oakworm, Anisota senatoria (J. E. Smith), has become a major pest of urban oak plantings along city streets in Norfolk, Va., since 1981. Insecticidal sprays were applied by city employees at citizen request to control this pest, resulting in needless pesticide use; >50% of citizen requests for pesticide application in 1987 and 1988 were for trees with <5% defoliation. Justification for an urban pest management program for A. senatoria was based on the economic value of urban oak trees ( x⁻ = $5,131 per tree) and the large pesticide volume sprayed for control (55,172 liters in 1986). Monitoring and establishing an aesthetic injury level of 25% defoliation in 1988 resulted in a decrease in pesticide volume of 80% and a real cost savings of 55% over the previous year.

Revenue and Risk Analysis of Soybean Pest Management Options in Virginia

Net revenues associated with alternative pest management strategies for representative Virginia soybean producers were estimated and compared. The attractiveness of different pest management options was compared by considering net revenue risk in conjunction with the corresponding level of expected net revenue. Extension Service soybean budgets were modified to correspond to alternative pest management strategies and then used to compare the average net revenue of the alternatives. A simulation model of net revenue was constructed for a representative Virginia soybean farm using alternative pest management strategies. Probability distributions of net revenue were generated and then compared using stochastic dominance analysis. Results from the net revenue comparisons of both expected net revenue and net revenue risk suggested that, for given cropping systems, producers would prefer strategies that incorporate an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to pest control rather than a pest control approach that relies completely on pesticides. Since pesticide use is associated with negative environmental effects, the IPM alternatives, which in general decrease pesticide use, would be preferable from a social as well as a private or producer viewpoint.