Topic 5 - Pest management Flashcards by Aldin Sabic

What is a pest?

An organism that interferes with human activity

Situation- and opinion-dependent definition

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What are 3 natural controls?

Predators, parasites, disease

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What % do natural enemies control the populations of potential pest species?

98%

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What is one of the worst enemies of an insect?

A spider

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What are pesticides?

Chemicals designed to kill pest organisms

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Insectides kill..

One or more species of insect

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Herbicides kill..

One or more species of herbs/plants

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Fungicides kill..

One or more species of fungus

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Rodenticides kill..

One or more species of rodents (mice, rats)

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Biocides kill..

Species other than the target

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Do plants make their own pesticides?

Yes, for millennia

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What are the first-generation pesticides?

Sulphur, lead, arsenic, mercury

Non-degradable inorganic toxins

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What are second-generation pesticides?

Synthetic organic compounds

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What was the first second-generation pesticide?

DDT
Persistent - not readily degraded
Water insoluble, retained on crops
Fat soluble

1939 Paul Muller discovered it was a potent insecticide

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What is bioaccumulation?

The storage of chemicals in an organism in higher concentrations than are normally found in the environment

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What is biomagnification?

The build-up of chemical elements or substances in organisms in successively higher trophic levels

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Why was DDT banned?

Banned in 1972 due to adverse environmental effects (wildlife), as well as potential human health risks

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What is DDT still used for in some countries?

To combat malaria

Who was the author of Silent Spring (1962), a book about the environmental impacts of pesticide use?

Rachel Carlson

What are the benefits of pesticides?

Save human lives from pest-transmitted disease

Increase food supplies

Increase profits for farmers

Work faster and better than alternatives

Health risks low vs. benefits with proper use

Newer pesticides becoming safer and more effective

What is the ideal pesticide?

Affects only target pests

Does not allow pests to evolve immunity

Rapid breakdown to harmless byproducts after use

Affordable and cost-effective

What is a promising pesticide?

Plant-based chemicals

Which tree contains a variety of chemicals with specific properties for combating insect pests in different ways?

Neem trees

What are the major problems with using pesticides?

Promotes evolution of genetic resistance by selecting members of population with genetic immunity (especially a concern for species that reproduce quickly, e.g. boll weevil)
Wipes out natural predators (creates new pest species, increases populations of existing pests)
Migrate into the natural environment
Harm to other wildlife or human health

What % of pesticides used in NA do aircrafts apply? What % actually reach the targeted pest?

Aircrafts apply 25% Only 1% reach targeted pest

What % of U.S. food supply has been lost to pests?

6% more today than in the 1940s

For every $1 spent on pesticides, how much is there in environmental damages?

$5-$10 for every dollar

Which plant may hold the key to developing effective natural herbicides?

Knapweed Secretes a toxic chemical (catechin) into the soil that can kill all other surrounding plants

How are pesticides regulated federally in Canada?

2006 Pest Control Products Act (PCPA) Regulates manufacture, import, sale, or use Governs all pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides Canada is slow to respond - more than 60 pesticide ingredients banned in other nations continue to be used in Canada

How are pesticides regulated provincially in Canada?

Use, storage, and disposal regulations

How are pesticides regulated municipally in Canada?

Residential- and cosmetic-use restrictions in 75 municipalities (2006)

What was the first municipality in Canada to ban the use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes on lawns?

Hudson (Montreal suburb) in 1991

When did Manitoba ban cosmetic pesticides?

2015

What should be the primary goal of pest control?

Reduction not eradication

What is the economic threshold of pest control?

Point when losses due to pests outweigh cost of pesticide use Preferred over insurance threshold or cosmetic spraying

What are alternatives to conventional chemical pesticides?

1. Adjusting cultivation practices 2. Genetic engineering for pest resistance 3. Biological pest control 4. Insect birth control, pheromones, hormones 5. Hot water or insecticidal soaps

What are some ecological cultivation practices?

1. Crop rotation 2. Varying planting times of crops 3. Polyculture - habitat diversification 4. Mechanical cultivation (manual picking of pests)

What are biological controls?

1. Predators or pathogens 2. Insects that eat weeds 3. Plants like the neem tree that make their own pesticides 4. Hormones that disrupt development or attract insects to traps

What is biological pest control?

Important natural predators, parasites, diseases specific to the pest

What is the goal of integrated pest management (IPM)?

To avoid or reduce yield losses caused by diseases, weeds, insects, mites, etc. while minimizing the negative impacts of pest control IPM considers crop and pest as part of a wider agro-ecosystem

What are examples of IPM?

1. Spruce budworm control 2. Gypsy moth control

Why is IPM not more widely used?

1. Requires expert knowledge 2. Slower than conventional pesticides 3. Method development is site-specific 4. Initial costs may be high 5. Government subsidies favour conventional pesticides

What are some strategies for IPM promotion?

1. Tax pesticides to fund IPM research 2. Government-funded demonstration projects 3. Send experts onto farms for dialogue 4. Special crop insurance for IPM 5. Ecologo labelling 6. Remove subsidies that favour conventional pesticides