Cultural Control of Pests
It has been observed that very minute and simple modifications of the environment in which a pest thrive can act as pest control measure.
Changes in the long prevailing practices in farming, which includes horticulture, pisciculture, silviculture or animal rearing can wreak havoc in the lives of these parasitic creatures.
The relationship between pests and their host environment is altered resulting in lower survival levels of these obnoxious creatures.
The most effective and the oldest cultural control measure is crop rotation.
Experience has taught that planting the same kind of single crop through the years allows different kinds of pests to get adjusted to it and grow into destructive levels.
But changing the crops cultivated over an area every year can break the life cycle of many pests that fail to adapt to the changed environs.
Planting a tuber crop a year and following it up with legumes can destroy parasites adapted for feeding on tubers.
Likewise, a different crop the next year will end in pests who got acclimatized to legumes getting wiped off due to starvation.
The basic principle employed here is discontinuation of food supply.
It is effective in animal husbandry field also.
However, pests who infest annual crops and have a narrow host range can only be eliminated completely by employing crop rotation.
Moreover, pests that can travel from one area to another and attack a crop after it planted stand a higher chance of survival.
Inter cropping is another method employed in the fight against pests.
Planting different crops, is has been found, diminishes the attractiveness of the living environment.
Changing the planting or harvesting time of crops can abruptly disrupt food supply for pests, resulting in their starvation and death.
Natural measures like flooding a field for some days in the case of rice paddy is a highly effective in controlling pests.
Keeping the plants or animals healthy will increase their pest resistance capabilities to a great extent.
Maintaining proper sanitation and cleanliness in a farm or house environment is also a time tested policy for keeping pests at bay.
Changes in the long prevailing practices in farming, which includes horticulture, pisciculture, silviculture or animal rearing can wreak havoc in the lives of these parasitic creatures.
The relationship between pests and their host environment is altered resulting in lower survival levels of these obnoxious creatures.
The most effective and the oldest cultural control measure is crop rotation.
Experience has taught that planting the same kind of single crop through the years allows different kinds of pests to get adjusted to it and grow into destructive levels.
But changing the crops cultivated over an area every year can break the life cycle of many pests that fail to adapt to the changed environs.
Planting a tuber crop a year and following it up with legumes can destroy parasites adapted for feeding on tubers.
Likewise, a different crop the next year will end in pests who got acclimatized to legumes getting wiped off due to starvation.
The basic principle employed here is discontinuation of food supply.
It is effective in animal husbandry field also.
However, pests who infest annual crops and have a narrow host range can only be eliminated completely by employing crop rotation.
Moreover, pests that can travel from one area to another and attack a crop after it planted stand a higher chance of survival.
Inter cropping is another method employed in the fight against pests.
Planting different crops, is has been found, diminishes the attractiveness of the living environment.
Changing the planting or harvesting time of crops can abruptly disrupt food supply for pests, resulting in their starvation and death.
Natural measures like flooding a field for some days in the case of rice paddy is a highly effective in controlling pests.
Keeping the plants or animals healthy will increase their pest resistance capabilities to a great extent.
Maintaining proper sanitation and cleanliness in a farm or house environment is also a time tested policy for keeping pests at bay.
