Pest and diseases

The ongoing pest and disease problem in the field indicates that there is an ecological process that needs to be examined and understood. Learning from the past, we suggest a new school of thinking in building pest and disease management strategies that will be adaptable to future difficulties.

Continuing pest and disease outbreaks in the field may suggest one of the following problems:

1. Available management methods may be insufficient to address the pest/disease situation.

2. Existing control mechanisms may not be effectively implemented.

3. There is an ecological issue that limits the effectiveness of natural controls.

Pest/disease issues may not be solely attributed to inadequate SOP execution. Priority should be given to analyzing critical elements that impact natural enemy activity in the field. Future study should focus on the interplay of patogens, natural enemies, and crops to optimize pest management strategies.