Integrated pest management in practice - pathways towards successful application

Examples from perennial and annual crops in temperate and tropical conditio ns are used to illustrate the research and development approaches that have contributed to use and integration of host plant resistance and biological , cultural and chemical controls. The evidence shows how successes in IPM h ave depended upon classical experimental approaches continually responding to changing constraints and to novel discoveries, which are being applied i ncreasingly efficiently and intelligently to farm practice. Future developm ents are discussed in the context of past experience and new technologies. Recent developments of important new approaches that could help revolutioni ze management of some pest complexes, in particular genetic engineering, se miochemicals and bioinsecticides, are discussed. Much attention has been de voted to strategic modelling in the IPM context which aims to provide novel insights, but there is little evidence of its value to practical IPM; inst ead it could be used unwisely to encourage accumulation of unnecessary info rmation. In contrast, tactical models are proving increasingly valuable in forecasting the need for and timing of applied controls. Whilst there have been some outstanding developments in practical application of IPM in many developed countries where the ultimate goal is to decrease over-reliance on conventional insecticides, evidence shows that in many developing countrie s, where the goal is an ecologically sound mix of non-chemical and chemical methods, there remains a crucial need for much more appropriate research a nd implementation, especially in small farm conditions. (C) 2000 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.