greenhouses I shade net I hydroponics I aquaponics
Integrated pest management (IPM) offers a practical method for the effective management of pests under greenhouses and cannot be over-emphasized more. Through the adoption of sound cultural practices and monitoring techniques, accurate problem identification, and timely implementation and evaluation of appropriate management strategies, growers can improve vegetable production while minimizing their reliance on routine pesticide applications.
IPM and plant hygiene in
under protected cultivation reiterated Sanitation entering the greenhouse production area. It is important Without the airlock room, the fans draw to keep the air in through the unprotected doorway, area around rather than through the screened opening the exterior at the opposite end of the greenhouse, and interior of and it is common to see pest infestations the greenhouse free beginning in plants close to an unprotected Keeping IPM measures high on from weeds and other doorway. Even in passively ventilated your daily priority list, pays its dividends in terms of quality and plants that could harbour greenhouses, a secure entrance room is quantity of product. pests. An inventory should be important to regulate the easy entrance of made of plants in the area around pests to the production area. Such rooms the greenhouse to can also be used as determine their PM makes use of many different If pest populations build to a footbath and handrelative risk as a pest washing area or for management options: cultural, physical, a threshold level requiring harbour: remove high any other sanitation mechanical, biological and chemical. control measures, growers risk plants, with the practices for workers. Routine crop inspection alerts growers must be prepared for the exception of those to developing pest and cultural problems Insect that could attract while they are still minor and easily immediate implementation screening natural enemies and manageable. of a control plan taking Screens with a fine pollinators. Airlock Early detection and intervention is account of the current mesh to keep insects entrance walk-in the foundation of an IPM programme. out of the greenhouse specific spray or biological doorways provide Greenhouse management for the control can be an important control recommendations: an easy entrance for of insects and diseases depends on: the element in an IPM many pests; growers Choose either an IPM or local climate; external disease and insect programme and may need to evaluate pressure; the greenhouse structural traditional pesticide strategy. be used effectively strategies to reduce design; availability of climate control in both passively the likelihood of pest equipment; and the skill level of the ventilated and fan and pad greenhouses. entrance. greenhouse workers. Any screens added to a ventilation opening In greenhouses with fan will reduce airflow through that opening. and pad ventilation, an It is therefore important to follow the airlock entrance room manufacturer’s recommendations to is essential: attached increase the surface area covered by the to the 400 GAPs for screen to compensate for the reduction in greenhouse vegetable airflow, which in turn can burn fan motors crops: Principles for or reduce cooling by reducing ventilation. Mediterranean climate areas exterior of the Reflective or metallized greenhouse and enclosing mulches the entry doorway, its Highly reflective or metallized plastic double-door system A foot bath at the mulches have been used in agriculture entrance is absolutely allows workers to enter for many purposes and are particularly necessary to comply the airlock room and effective in reducing the entry of whitefly with sanitary measures close the outside door in a greenhouse. and thrips. Combining screening and behind them before
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14 Undercover farming I March/April 2021 I Volume 18 No 2
