Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

About

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a comprehensive strategy that aims to manage pests by combining multiple techniques to minimize environmental impact and reduce chemical use. It involves biological, cultural, and physical methods to control pests, ensuring a balanced ecosystem. Biological control uses natural enemies of pests, while cultural controls modify practices like irrigation to prevent pest establishment. Physical controls include barriers and traps to exclude pests. IPM emphasizes monitoring and correct pest identification to determine the need for intervention. It integrates various management tools, using pesticides only when necessary and in a manner that minimizes risks to humans and the environment. This approach promotes sustainable agriculture and reduces pesticide resistance, making it applicable in urban, agricultural, and natural areas. By focusing on long-term prevention, IPM supports ecosystem health and economic sustainability.