ABSTRACT
The sustainable production of food and fiber crops requires knowledge about the economic impact of pests and the most efficient and ecologically sound means for the control of those pests. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emerged in the late 1960s as a system to support decisions in the selection and use of pest control tactics singly or in various combinations to optimize economic benefits to growers while protecting the integrity of the environment. Development of IPM systems depends on the best available ecological information on the crop production system and the complex of pests that impacts the crop. Favorable cost/ benefit analyses are essential to lead producers to adopt IPM.
