Adaptation of approaches to pest control in low-input agriculture

Adaptation and acceptance of pest control in low-input agriculture will be largely influenced by the approach used to manage soil-borne pests. A single tactic approach, consisting of the routine application of a broad spectrum biocide or biocides to disinfest soil is not compatible with the goal of minimizing inputs and will not have wide-scale applicability in low-input production systems. An integrated pest management (IPM) approach can be compatible with low-input systems but is often difficult to implement due to inherent constraints associated with identifying and treating organisms in the soil. Additionally, IPM will require more intensive knowledge of biological interactions in the soil and the timely management of that information, which may not be practical in low input systems. A pro-active approach, in which the production system is designed to avoid the outbreak of pests, minimizes the use of inputs in crop production by reducing the need for intervention treatments. Traditionally, the impact of soil-borne pests is not considered until after the production system has been designed and implemented. Combining biologically based pest control methods with a production system designed to minimize their impacts offers the most sustainable approach for low-input agriculture. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.