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pest-management

PROTECTING THE LEAF

PEST MANAGEMENT

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the key to sustainable pest control. The objective is to
adopt cultural, biological, mechanical, physical or other less-hazardous strategies to minimise the use of pesticides. IPM is therefore the careful consideration of all these available pest control techniques and their subsequent integrated use to improve biological balance. This should discourage the development of pest populations whilst keeping pesticide use and other
interventions to economic levels, and will also minimise risks to health and the environment.

Good Practice

Arthropod Pests and Fungal Diseases

Local estate field manuals must include detailed methodologies for management of the pests and diseases in the area with emphasis on cultural controls.
Procedures and protocols that mandate good supervision must be in place.
In East Africa the use of insecticides, acaricides and fungicides on mature tea should be avoided except in very exceptional circumstances. Disease and insect problems should not be significant and well grown tea will almost always outgrow short-term infestations, such as red spider mite, without the need for pesticide application.
Chemical application may kill natural enemies of pests and allow an epidemic to develop and hence should only be used where unavoidable and in the context of a well managed IPM programme.
Key requirements for an IPM system include:
- No prophylactic use of pesticides.
- Routine cultural controls (such as destruction of breeding sites and maintaining good ground
cover).
- Development of census systems for the main pests, founded on knowledge of life cycles and
natural enemies.
- Establishment of action thresholds for the main pests, based on economic damage levels.
- If pesticide use is necessary, selectivity is important to reduce eco-balance disruption and
ensure operator safety.

Pesticide Use
Pesticides must not be used if workers are not trained, proper use procedures are not in place or appropriate application equipment and protective clothing is not available.
Pesticides used should be restricted to those recommended by national tea research institutes and formally approved for the purpose under national regulations.
Pesticides should be selected with regard to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem toxicity, to reduce the risk to operators and the environment. Management must be able to justify the use of each pesticide.
Purchasing decisions for pesticides should take account of quality (low cost generics may contain toxic by-products), and the quantity ordered must not exceed that which can be used before expiry dates. Purchase from suppliers who will take back empty containers for proper disposal.
Pesticides must be stored safely and securely and use procedures, including action to be taken in the case of spillage accidents, clearly defined and enforced.
Spray equipment must be designed and maintained to target the application effectively and use the minimum of chemical to achieve the desired outcome. It is important to minimise spray-drift, especially where watercourses could be contaminated or near to accommodation.
Accurate records must be kept of pesticide use.
There must be careful attention to operator safety:
- Training and retraining,
- Provision of suitable protective clothing with regular checking and replacement,
- Personal washing facilities must be available and  used after working with pesticides. All clothing and equipment must be appropriately washed/cleaned,
- Routine health checks for operators and appropriate measures in place for first aid and
poisoning incidents, including access to antidotes.

Weed Control
Ensure that ecologically and medically safe compounds are used, applied in accordance with
industry and advisory service best practice and using low volume spraying methods.
To achieve sustainable weed control and reduce the risk of developing herbicide resistance, a planned programme of changing active ingredients may be introduced.
Ultra low volume or similar technology should be used to minimise discharge chemical  levels.
Spot spraying with proper targeting of the weeds should be practised.
Adopt cost-effective mechanical control methods, including the use of mulches, in preference to herbicide use.
Manual weed management is recommended for smallholdings without access to appropriate
herbicides, application equipment and protective clothing.

Potential Areas For Improvement
Promote research on bio-control agents (predators, parasites, bio-fungicides, pheromones) as IPM tools. Where research findings are encouraging, incorporate their systems into management practices and evaluate their effectiveness and consequences for pest management and the wider environment.
If weeds are a problem in mature tea, consider whether this is a result of pruning policy. A longer pruning cycle, or a taller pruning height, results in less light penetration through the tea crop and thus less weeds.
Avoid skiffing except where the practice has a specific benefit to the business as, for example, a better balance between quality and quantity in India. • Use manual weed control within the crop.

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