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Research Project: Management of Aphids Attacking Cereals

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Title: Incorporating biological control into IPM decision making

Author
item GILES, KRISTOPHER - Oklahoma State University
item MCCORNACK, BRIAN - Kansas State University
item ROYER, TOM - Oklahoma State University
item Elliott, Norman - Norm

Submitted to: Current Opinion in Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/15/2017
Publication Date: 5/22/2017
Citation: Giles, K.L., McCornack, B.P., Royer, T.A., Elliott, N.C. 2017. Incorporating biological control into IPM decision making. Current Opinion in Insect Science. 14:1-6.

Interpretive Summary: Of the many ways biological control can be incorporated into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, natural enemy thresholds are arguably most easily adopted by stakeholders. Integration of natural enemy thresholds into IPM programs requires ecological and cost/benefit crop production data, threshold model validation, and an understanding of the socioeconomic factors that influence stakeholder decisions about biological control. These thresholds are more likely to be utilized by stakeholders when integrated into dynamic web-based IPM decision support systems that summarize pest management data and push site-specific biological control management recommendations to decision-makers. We highlight recent literature on topics related to natural enemy thresholds and how findings may allow pest suppression services to be incorporated into advanced IPM programs.

Technical Abstract: Of the many ways biological control can be incorporated into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, natural enemy thresholds are arguably most easily adopted by stakeholders. Integration of natural enemy thresholds into IPM programs requires ecological and cost/benefit crop production data, threshold model validation, and an understanding of the socioeconomic factors that influence stakeholder decisions about biological control. These thresholds are more likely to be utilized by stakeholders when integrated into dynamic web-based IPM decision support systems that summarize pest management data and push site-specific biological control management recommendations to decision-makers. We highlight recent literature on topics related to natural enemy thresholds and how findings may allow pest suppression services to be incorporated into advanced IPM programs.