Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Tactics by Wisconsin Farmers

Abstract

Agronomic research and extension personnel generally recognize the benefits of integrated pest management (IPM) but IPM practices have not been rapidly adopted by farmers. In order for applied research and extension programs to be as influential as possible, strategies and tactics must be evaluated in the context of the real-world constraints experienced by farmers. We investigated the linkage between farmers' pest management behaviors, attitudes, and constraints by analyzing an extensive corn pest management survey distributed throughout Wisconsin in 2002. Our objectives were to (1) create a benchmark against which future changes in pest management practices could be detected and (2) explore potential associations between practices and farm characteristics, e.g., farm size or commodity produced. A total of 213 farmers responded with descriptions of their operations; weed, insect, and disease pest management practices; crop consultant usage; interactions with their local agrichemical dealer; and attitudes regarding pest management decision-making. We compared the relative responses of cash-grain and dairy farmers as well as managers of large and small farms. Larger farm size and percentage of operation in cash-grain production were associated with an increased frequency of rotating crops, rotating herbicide families, and use of a broadcast herbicide application. Managers of large farms and/or cash-grain crops also more frequently indicated considering the level of pest control, price, carryover potential, weed resistance management, environmental safety, and risk to the applicator than did dairy or small-sized operations. Cash-grain farmers had significantly higher scores on a calculated IPM index than did dairy farmers (P < 0.0001). We also found a significant positive relationship between farm size and IPM score (P < 0.0001). Our results provide a benchmark for future comparisons of IPM adoption rates in Wisconsin and highlight the association between IPM research/extension and farmers' management behavior.

Weed Management in Soybean — Issues and Practices

“…Monitoring weeds in crop fields [90,91] Use economic thresholds to determine when to apply herbicides [91][92][93] Crop rotation [80,91] Using the biological and chemical control [94,95] Using cultural and chemical control [96] Using mechanical and chemical control [97] Using rotation of herbicides [90,91] Plant cover crops [90,98] Using the tillage, no-tillage or reduced tillage system [90,92] However, there are no more ready-made and generalized solutions without risk of errors. IWM is characterized by reliance on multiple weed management approaches that are firmly underpinned by ecological principles [89].…”

Weed Management in Cereals in Semi-Arid Environments: A Review

“…Nowadays, integrated weed management could be a possible solution to rationalize the inputs of herbicides and to increase the use of complementary methods of weed control forming an integral component of sustainable agriculture [30]. However, the adoption of these practices have a considerable impact on communities of weeds, and therefore, their management should be different from that undertaken in a conventional system [31][32][33]. The benefits of conservation tillage include reducing soil erosion, increasing organic matter, improving soil structure, and reducing fuel consumption and some tillage machinery.…”

Influence of Watershed Scale Atrazine Reduction Practices on Pesticides and Fishes within Channelized Agricultural Headwater Streams

“…IPM approaches implemented by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in the United States consist of a range of individual pest management practices involving the prevention, avoidance, suppression, and monitoring of pests (NRCS, 2010). Farmer adoption of comprehensive IPM strategies has been weak, but farmers have exhibited a willingness to implement individual pest management practices (Hammond et al, 2006). Individual pest management practices have been applied on a wide range of crop types throughout the United States.…”