weed and pest management

Question 1

what is integrated pest management (IPM)

Answer 1

the process used to solve pest problems while minimizing risks to people and the environment. it focuses on the long-term prevention of pests or their damage, by managing the ecosystem

Question 2

where can IPM be used

Answer 2

it can be used to manage all kinds of pests anywhere–in urban, agriculture, and wildland, or natural areas

Question 3

what are the five major components that are common to all IPM programs

Answer 3

1) preventing pest problems
2) pest identification
3) monitoring and assessing pest numbers and damage
4) guidelines for when management action is needed
5) using a combination of biological, cultural, physical, mechanical, and chemical management tools

Question 4

how can weeds be managed

Answer 4

• physical damage
• plant competition
• pesticides
• rotation
• insects

Question 5

how are weeds prevented through physical damage

Answer 5

tillage is used as a mechanical cultivation practice for weed control.
through digging, stirring, and overturning

Question 6

what are some examples of ways tillage is done

Answer 6

digging, stirring, and overturning. through hoeing, raking, plowing, rototilling, harrowing, cultivation, etc

Question 7

how does plant competition reduce weeds

Answer 7

good plant establishment will limit the weeds ability to compete especially if the crop has been established ahead of the weeds

Question 8

what are the conditions you will need to successfully reduce weeds through plant competition

Answer 8

• proper fertility
• adequate seedbed
• proper seeding depth and rate
• disease-free seed

a healthy crop will compete better with weeds

Question 9

what are herbicides

Answer 9

a type of pesticide used to control weeds.

Question 10

how do herbicides kill weeds

Answer 10

different families kill weeds in different ways.

Question 11

what are herbicides made of

Answer 11

they are chemical with a complex structure

each chemical has unique properties but a family of herbicides has a similar chemical structure with many similar characteristics

Question 12

how do you know how to use herbicides

Answer 12

herbicides list what weeds they will control in what crop and how they should be properly used

Question 13

what is the way herbicides are applied in large scale farms

Answer 13

sprayers will spray herbicides to kill weeds that are growing prior to seeding the crop

Question 14

what is herbicide resistance in crops

Answer 14

crops can withstand herbicides but the weeds are killed

Question 15

how is herbicide resistance in crops achieved

Answer 15

through new gene introduction or non-GMO methods

Question 16

what is a benefit to herbicide-resistant crops

Answer 16

allows broad-spectrum herbicides to be used to kill weeds without killing the crop

Question 17

why rotate crops to prevent weeds

Answer 17

because some crops compete with weeds better

a range of herbicides doesn’t put selection pressure on weeds to become resistant to herbicides

weed control may not be available for some crops so it can help limit weeds in the previous years

Question 18

what can you do in the winter/fall to lower weed populations

Answer 18

inclusion of fall-seeded crops or perennial species can lower weed populations for future annual cropping

Question 19

what are biological controls

Answer 19

they take advantage of natural predators of the weeds

Question 20

what are the things used for biological weed control

Answer 20

insects or disease and used

Question 21

what are the advantages of biological control

Answer 21

• selectivity
• effect in inaccessible areas
• can have low environmental impacts
• can be less expensive(one release)

Question 22

what are some disadvantages to biological control

Answer 22

• lack of immediacy (it takes time to control)

- it’s difficult to find control agents for all weeds

Question 23

what are some other ways (hacks) to control weeds

Answer 23

the management of irrigation and fertilizers to ensure they are being used by the crop and not (as much) by the weeds

the alteration of seeding dates to increase crop competition with the weeds

the use of mulch or landscape fabric to suppress weeds in between rows, particularly in horticulture crops or urban areas

the use of animals to control a specific weed problem

Question 24

what is the best strategy for weed control

Answer 24

weed control strategy should include many methods to gain control.

Question 25

What’s wrong with only using one method for weed control

Answer 25

reliance on one method may work in the short term but overuse may lead to control problems
Ex. using the same herbicides can lead to resistant weeds