and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

OVERVIEW OF IPM INFRASTRUCTURE AND
IMPLEMENTATION ON ESTATE CROPS IN
MALAYSIA
B.J. Wood
Research Director, Ebor Research
P.O. Box 202, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
The principles of integrated pest management (IPM) in tropical perennial
crops are by now reasonably wel! esablished, disseminated, and generally
accepted by both agricultural scientists and plantation operators in Malaysia
(Wood 1971, 1984). Some aspects were drawn forcibly to the attention of
scientists by the massive outbreaks ot pests that were set off by broad spectrum,
long residual contact insecticides (BSLRCs) in the 1950s and 1960s (Wood
1973), details of' which may be found in the literature cited. In this paper, I will
summarize the main points to show how IPM can presently be implemented,
and to consider re(luirements for improvement.
Oil paln, rubber, and cocoa occupy extensive land areas and the Malaysian
economy strongly depends on them. Examples of IPM strategies are taken
largely from those crops. Coconuts, tea, coflee, fruit and nut trees, sugarcane,
etc., are less valuable or occupy smaller areas, but the general principles are the
same, and remain recognized as such in pest control procedures.
TIlE BASICS OF IPM
A Lisling o" Principles
The principles of IPM most relevant to plantation crops are contained
statements
in the
enuimerated below. Where one point follows from others, those from
which it chiefly derives are shown in brackets.
1. Only a few insect species are regular pests under existing agricultural
conditions at various growing stages. These are called key pests. Several
others have sporadic outbreaks (i.e. irregularly and locally) and are called
occasional pests. Some only occur as a result of " particular action
(usually, application of an insecticide) and are the potential or induced pests
(Smith & Reynolds 1966).
2. The latter two categories include many phytophagous insects that can
all
find
the food md shelter necessary to complete their life cycle on the crop
plant. They often have a high fecundity.
3. An important limitation to insects realizing their increase-potential is their
natural enemies, in a dynamic balance (density dependent mortality). The
key pests are those in which this limitation is generally inadequate.
4. The physical and crop plant environment favors the activities both cf the
pests and their enemies, most of the time.