ABSTRACT

Pests and diseases remain a significant threat to crop yields worldwide. With concerns about the environmental impact of synthetic pesticides, there remains a need to develop more environmentally- friendly biological methods of control that can be combined synergistically within integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Improving integrated pest management (IPM) in horticulture provides a comprehensive review of the recent developments in integrated pest management (IPM) for horticultural crops. The collection builds on the wealth of research on insect and disease control in horticulture using IPM strategies, with dedicated parts to the alternative control methods, such as biological, technological and physical, as well as examples of practical implementation of these methods.

Part 1: Biological control 1. Advances in biopesticides/bioprotectants for insect control in horticulture 2. Advances in biopesticides/bioprotectants for plant disease control in horticulture 3. Advances in biostimulants as an IPM tool in horticulture 4. Improving application systems for bioprotectants in IPM programmes in horticulture Part 2: Decision support 5. Advances in insect/disease pest monitoring and forecasting in horticulture 6. Advances in proximal sensors to detect crop health status in horticultural crops 7. Advances in decision support systems (DSS) for IPM in horticultural crops Part 3: Breeding, agronomic practices and physical control 8. The use of agronomic practices in IPM programmes in horticulture 9. Advances in conservation biological control in IPM for horticultural crops Part 4: Implementation and case studies 10. Assessing the economics of IPM for horticultural crops 11. Encouraging take up of IPM in horticultural crop production 12. Practical application of IPM in greenhouses/protected cultivation 13. Practical application of IPM in vegetable cultivation (e. g.cucurbits or tomatoes; examples of successful commercial applications of IPM programmes) 14. Practical application of IPM in vegetable cultivation (e. g.control of cabbage root fly in cauliflower)