Cultural pest control alternatives

The history of agricultural production has been inextricably lirtked to the control of weeds, pests and diseases in crop production practices. There is no doubt that the production of consistently high yielding, highqrrality crops requires the use of pesticides. Although orgarric production methods provide a viable alternative the yields achieved are lower arrd the qrrahty of the produce can be more variable. The aim, therefore, of an IFM system is to utilise the cultural control methods that are known to reduce the incidence of pests on crops, and then use crop protection chemicals as a final resort. 

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