Integrated Pest Management for Conservation Agriculture.

Abstract

The intensification of agricultural practice has provided opportunities for certain pests and diseases to thrive in a range of crops. Soil cultivation techniques interact with different species in different ways and hence the intensity of tillage adopted (from full inversion to no-till) can result in greater or lesser antagonistic pressure dependant upon the organism concerned. Since in no situation can tillage alone provide the solution, control options rely on integrating alternative methods including cultural, biological, mechanical and appropriate chemical means. Where multiple control mechanisms are employed the interaction between tillage and crop antagonist is unlikely to cause yield loss of economic consequence.