Module 1: Defining IPM
Lesson 1.1: IPM Defined - IPM Components
There are many definitions of IPM and also many ways to define it. One approach is to break the phrase "Integrated Pest Management" into its three component words, "integrated", "pest", and "management".
Integrated means that many different ideas and techniques are used in combination to understand and solve pest problems. Agroecological theory is combined with social, economic, and traditional information to make appropriate decisions about pest control methods. Control methods may be local and low-tech, or modern and imported, as long as they make economic, social, and environmental sense in the context of the farm's agroecosystem. IPM is also often integrated with other production and farm management decisions, such as fertilizer management and crop rotations.
A Pest is any living organism that causes economically significant damage to the crop. These can include insects, weeds, mites, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and vertebrates such as rats and birds. If an organism damages a crop but that damage has no negative economic effect, then that organism is not considered a pest in IPM.
For more information on types of pests, visit Cornell University's Pesticide Applicator Core Tutorial module on Pests.
Management means making controlled, rational pest control decisions that prevent economic damage to a crop. Good IPM management involves careful scouting and monitoring, good record-keeping, and a long-term farm IPM plan. On-farm management is often supplemented by extension agencies and private crop consultants.
Lesson 1.2: IPM Defined - Functional definitions
Defining IPM functionally is a bit more contentious than defining the component words of IPM, and different authors have advanced widely different definitions. Some say IPM is a way to reduce or eliminate chemical pesticide use in agriculture. Others say that IPM is a wiser way to use all types of control methods. Some explicitly mention chemical pesticides in their definitions of IPM. Many definitions reflect the political views of the definers. The degree to which chemical pesticides are included or excluded is usually the most contentious issue in an IPM definition. One such definition is:
"IPM is a set of management activities that farmers implement to maintain the intensity of potential pests at levels below which they become pests, without endangering the productivity and profitability of the farming system as a whole, the health of the farm family and its livestock, and the quality of the adjacent and downstream environments." (John Wightman, 1998)
It explicitly states that the application of IPM is driven primarily by economic concerns, but recognizes that IPM can also help to ensure the sustainability of the farm enterprise and minimize environmental and heath risks.
For a review of the complexities of IPM definition, you may want to read this article from American Entomologist.
Links to online definitions of IPM:
- For an extensive list of IPM definitions, try the Compendium of IPM Definitions.
Sites with specific definitions of IPM include:
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