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Development and Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Methods for Irrigated Crops

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Protection, Diseases, Pests and Weeds".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 3401

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Dr. Mahyar Mirmajlessi

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Guest Editor

Department of Plants and Crops, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Interests: plant protection; plant diseases; biological control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plays a pivotal role in sustainable agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of irrigated crops. This Special Issue aims to gather innovative research and advancements in the development and implementation of IPM strategies tailored specifically to irrigation-based agricultural systems. It seeks to address the growing challenges posed by pests and diseases in such environments, emphasizing holistic approaches that integrate biological, cultural, and technological methods for effective pest control. We invite contributions that cover various aspects of IPM, including novel pest control methods, ecological approaches, technological innovations, and interdisciplinary studies.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Novel pest and disease management techniques in irrigation agriculture;
Biocontrol agents and their applications in integrated pest management;
Sustainable approaches for minimizing pesticide usage and environmental impact;
Precision agriculture and technology-driven pest management solutions;
Economic and social implications of implementing IPM in irrigation crop production;
Case studies, reviews, and experimental findings advancing IPM practices.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, and methodologies that explore the multidimensional facets of IPM implementation in irrigation agriculture. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange insights, foster collaborations, and propel the progression of sustainable pest management strategies in irrigation-based cropping systems.

Dr. Mahyar Mirmajlessi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

integrated pest management (IPM)
irrigation crops
pest control strategies
sustainable agriculture
biological control methods
crop protection
agroecological approaches

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding Greenhouse Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Growers’ Perceptions for Optimal Phthorimaea absoluta (Meyrick) Management—A Survey in Greece

by Konstantinos Β. Simoglou, Marianna Stavrakaki, Konstantina Alipranti, Kyriaki Mylona and Emmanouil Roditakis

Agriculture 2024, 14(12), 2291; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14122291 - 13 Dec 2024

Viewed by 509

Abstract

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) leafminer, Phthorimaea absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is an extremely invasive pest and is threatening tomato production worldwide. Several strategies have been developed and implemented for managing P. absoluta. Effective pest control strategies based on integrated pest management (IPM) schemes include different cultural practices and techniques. This study seeks to (a) examine the perspectives, attitudes, and opinions of greenhouse tomato producers in Greece regarding different methods of P. absoluta management and (b) to determine whether the perceived damage caused by P. absoluta could be predicted by the implementation of various control management strategies. A questionnaire was employed to ascertain the views and beliefs of the participants. The questionnaire comprised five-point Likert scale questions. Principal component analysis (PCA) and binary logistic regression analysis were applied to examine the relationship between the reported perceived insect damage and the utilization of control techniques. The study findings indicate that greater adoption of alternative control methods and higher levels of adherence to preventive measures against P. absoluta are associated with a perception of reduced levels of damage. Conversely, individuals with a strong reliance on pesticides use are more likely to perceive a higher level of damage. Ultimately, as tomato growers are trying to deal with P. absoluta, more education and research on other alternatives could help the reduction of chemical use, promoting more environmentally friendly practices. The findings highlight integrated pest management over pesticides for sustainable tomato production. This can guide future research and extension efforts to develop tailored P. absoluta management approaches for Greek greenhouse growers and similar environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Methods for Irrigated Crops)

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15 pages, 2306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Habitat Diversity on Bat Species Richness and Feeding Behavior in Chilean Vineyards: Implications for Agroecological Practices

by Benjamín Puelles-Escobar and Andrés Muñoz-Sáez

Agriculture 2024, 14(11), 1896; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14111896 - 25 Oct 2024

Viewed by 724

Abstract

Agriculture is a leading cause of biodiversity loss, making the transition to sustainable agroecological practices crucial. Insectivorous bats play a crucial role as biological controllers in regard to agricultural crops, serving as important insect predators. The purpose of this study is to assess bat communities in three distinct habitats, namely the interior of a vineyard, native vegetation, and the transitional edge between them, by analyzing the echolocation patterns of different species. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the influence of landscape characteristics on bat communities and at the species level, allowing the incorporation of variables at different scales (at 10 m, 100 m, and 1000 m radius) from each sampling site. Our results show that edges enhance bat richness, their general activity, and feeding patterns, and are of particular benefit to certain species: Tadarida brasiliensis, Myotis chiloensis, and Lasiurus varius. Implementing agroecological practices, such as the maintenance of tree hedgerows at the landscape scale, along with native vegetation at the landscape scale, can amplify feeding activity in vineyards, thereby enhancing the provision of ecosystem services in agroecosystems. The edges of vineyards and natural vegetation are crucial for providing habitats for bats and increasing their foraging activity, as well as providing a way to enhance agroecological practices in vineyards to bolster ecosystem services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Methods for Irrigated Crops)

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11 pages, 1698 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Investigation and Invasiveness Analysis of Two Species of Giant African Snail in a Coastal City of Southern China

by Yongzhe Zhang, Xinfeng Wang, Yuzhe Tang, Linjing Wang, Rui Han, Xi Qiao, Fanghao Wan, Wanqiang Qian and Conghui Liu

Agriculture 2024, 14(8), 1217; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14081217 - 24 Jul 2024

Viewed by 1542

Abstract

Investigations and research on the giant African snail (GAS) mainly focus on Achatina fulica. However, in recent years, a more harmful GAS, Achatina immaculata, has been reported. In order to understand the invasive status of A. immaculata in China, we take Shenzhen, a coastal city in Southern China, as an example to carry out an ecological survey on the field populations of the two species of GAS in various districts. We explore the differences in the invasive characteristics of the two species of snails in terms of their dietary intake, cold adaptation and drought resistance. The results indicate that, based on the phylogenetic tree analysis, more than half of the sampled snails exhibit higher similarity to A. immaculata. The number of wild A. immaculata is significantly greater than that of A. fulica, and 70.64% of the 746 GAS are A. immaculata. At the same time, it is also found that the maximum shell length of A. immaculata is 135.83 mm, with an average shell length of 76.00 mm, which is significantly different from the average shell length of A. fulica (56.57 mm, p < 0.01). The food intake assay shows that there is no difference in the food preferences of the two species, but the food demand of A. immaculata is significantly greater than that of A. fulica (2.32 fold, p < 0.01). In the cold adaptation assay, A. immaculata recovers from the cold dormancy state significantly faster than A. fulica (1.92 fold, p < 0.05), and the speed with which A. immaculata enters the dormancy state in the drought environment is significantly slower than that of A. fulica (0.706 fold, p < 0.05). With the characteristics of a large body size, large food intake and strong resistance to cold and drought resistance, A. immaculata has the potential to be dominant in competition with A. fulica in the same ecological niche, and it has become the main invasive species of GAS in Shenzhen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Methods for Irrigated Crops)

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Development and Implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Methods for Irrigated Crops

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