Economics of Decision Making in Pest Management

Mumford, John; Norton, G. A.

doi:10.1146/annurev.en.29.010184.001105

Cited by 170 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Regardless of whether the ETL or EIL is used as the term to describe the "lowest population that will cause economic damage", the second area of confusion surrounds the definition of economic damage. (Mumford and Norton, 1984). In this definition injury can be the effect of pest activities on host physiology that is usually deleterious whereas damage can be defined as the measurable loss of host utility.…”

Section: Dedsion Variables In Threshold M O D E L Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Defining and Measuring Economic Threshold Levels

Weersink

Deen²,

Weaver³

1991

Canadian J Agri Economics

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INTRODUCTIONThe concept of pest thresholds was fmt presented in 1959 by Stem, Smith ,van den Bosch and Hagen as a means to detennine a more rational level of pesticide use. Their development of the concept was in response to what they considered as an excessive and inappropriate use of pesticides. Similar concerns today have renewed the interest in thresholds. Public concerns arise from the possible detrimental environmental and human health impacts associated with the use of synthetic organic compounds while producer concerns relate to the ever increasing costs of pesticides and the growing levels of pest resistance due to extensive pesticide use. Thresholds are a unique management tool which may help alleviate the concerns of all participants since it seeks to both reduce pesticide applications and enhance producer profitability.Corresponding with the increase in threshold applications has been an increase in related terminology such as economic threshold, economic injury level, and action threshold. The terns, although distinct, are often used inter-changeably.

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Section: Dedsion Variables In Threshold M O D E L Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Defining and Measuring Economic Threshold Levels

Weersink

Deen²,

Weaver³

1991

Canadian J Agri Economics

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“…Over the years the threshold theory has developed from a simple rule into increasingly sophisticated models, allowing for the adjustment of the pesticide dose [instead of spraying a 'label rate' (Mumford and Norton, 1984)], for more than one pest species (Blackshaw, 1986), for decisions under uncertainty (Plant, 1986) and for plant physiological stresses by pesticides (Jones et al, 1986). The uptake of thresholds, however, has been limited (Matthews, 1996).…”

Section: The Perception Of the Need To Apply Pesticidesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pesticides, thresholds and the smallscale tropical farmer

Stonehouse

1995

Int. J. Trop. Insect Sci.

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Pesticide spray thresholds, as a component of Integrated Pest Management, must be integrated with the world of smallscale farmers if they are to be useful to them. The capacity and desire to spray have specific features of significance for threshold control. Threshold use may be encouraged by maximising the divisibility of pesticide technology. Farmers' perception of thresholds, often subjective and personal, may be enhanced by information learned from outsiders, as complementing, rather than supplanting, their existing knowledge and experience.Resume-L'application des pesticides par seuils, comme constituent de la Lutte Integree, doit etre expressement integree avec le monde des petite fermiers, s'il peut se leur rendre utile. La capacity et le desir a se servir des pesticides tiennent aspects particuliers d'importance pour la lutte par seuils. L'emploi des seuils peut etre encourage par le maximum de la divisibility de la technologie des pesticides. La capacity des fermiers a percevoir les populations seuils, souvent subjectivement et personnellement, peut etre augmented par l'information appris des autres, comme completant, plutot que remplaceant, ses connaissance et I'explrience existantes.

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“…Ideally, an understanding of the insect's population dynamics in combination with monitoring data make it possible to minimize the use of pesticides and apply control measures only when necessary to prevent economic damage. When deciding whether to spray or not, a farmer has three possible control strategies to choose from: to spray prophylactically, to never spray, or to base the decision on some forecasting method (Watt 1983, Mumford and Norton 1984, Dent 1991. Routine use of pesticides reduces profits by the cost of unnecessary control, whereas the no-control option leads to yield losses in case of an outbreak.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and Evaluation of a Logistic Risk Model: Predicting Frit Fly Infestation in Oats

Lindblad¹

2001

Ecological Applications

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Forecasting insect pest damage allows for an adjustment of pesticide use to the actual need, and it is important to establish the potential benefits of pest forecasts in terms of profitability and reduction of pesticide use. Here I calibrate and evaluate a risk algorithm for frit fly infestation in spring-sown oats, aiming to improve damage forecasts and assess the profitability of different control strategies with regard to regional infestation prevalence. Oat fields in two regions in Sweden with high and low frequencies of infestation were surveyed for 11 and 13 yr, respectively. The surveyed fields were classified either as infested or noninfested, depending on whether or not the infestation level exceeded the economic threshold. The relation between various risk factors and frit fly damage was examined by logistic regression, and risk points were assigned to significant factors. Regional action thresholds (risk point sums) resulting in the lowest average costs were calculated.In regions where pest outbreaks are common, a control strategy based on the proposed risk algorithm was more profitable than prophylactic or no sprays. The percentage of sprayed fields was reduced to Ͻ50%, compared with routine use of pesticides. In low-risk regions, the profitability of the forecasting strategy and the no-control alternative were similar. The predictive accuracy of the risk algorithm was higher than that of a commonly used degreeday model, especially in regions where the frit fly is a minor pest. Based on these results, I suggest that use of the proposed risk algorithm can enhance the farmer's understanding of the biology of this insect pest, increase profitability, and reduce unnecessary use of pesticides. Long-term monitoring of pest and environmental data can facilitate not only on-farm pest control decisions, but can also provide essential information for developing regional pest control strategies.

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Economics of Decision Making in Pest Management

Cited by 170 publications

References 14 publications

Defining and Measuring Economic Threshold Levels

Defining and Measuring Economic Threshold Levels

Pesticides, thresholds and the smallscale tropical farmer

Development and Evaluation of a Logistic Risk Model: Predicting Frit Fly Infestation in Oats

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