Module Overview

Human Behavior and Decision-Making Concepts of IPM

Introduction

IPM is a decision support system for the selection and use of pest control tactics, singly
or harmoniously coordinated into a management strategy, based on cost/benefit analyses
that take into account the interests of and impacts on producers, society, and the
environment. A farm is said to be as multi-enterprise in nature having substantial
interdependency in decision across crops. In other words, the type of control a farmer
applies to his main crop influences his control decision for the second crop. Similarly, his
control practices in the previous season greatly affect his decision in both present and
future cropping. IPM offers changes in farming methods, hence, changes also in the
farmer's way of life. Its introduction demands that farmers be provided not only with the
material farm inputs, but also sets of decision-making tools; what resistant variety to use,
when to use pesticides, what pesticides to use, etc. The IPM approach requires regular
field monitoring, and farmers are encouraged to define what the economic threshold
level, without which judicious is and economical use of pesticides will never be realized.

Objectives
At the end of the module the students must able to
1. Learn the importance of effective decision making for pest management
2. Outline the basic steps in decision making process for IPM
3. Identify the factors of farm level decision making

Duration

Chapter 5: Human Behavior and Decision-Making

Concepts of IPM = 2 hours
(1.5 hours discussion; 30
minutes assessment)

Lesson Proper

Human Behavior

Behavior can be defined as a response/s which is observed directly/indirectly.

▪ Direct observation is possible by studying the responses of people to a work
environment.
▪ Indirect observations are decision making processes and attitudes, in terms of
results or how people describe them verbally.
Human behavior is very much unpredictable. It refers to the array of every physical
action and observable emotion associated with individuals; experienced throughout an
individual’s entire lifetime and it includes the way they act based on factors such as
attitude, social norms, faith and culture. Understanding behavior one can predict direct,
change and control behavior of individuals or group.

Decision Making

Decision - an act of choice, wherein an executive form a conclusion about what must be
done in a given situation.

Decision-making can be regarded as a problem-solving activity terminated by a solution

deemed to be satisfactory. It is a mental process resulting in the selection of an action
among several alternative solutions.

Decision-making starts with the identification of a problem, which requires the collection
of all relevant information for critical analysis of the problem. This analysis leads to
development of a set of available alternative courses of actions to solve the problem; only
realistic solutions should be selected considering multiple criteria e.g. effectiveness,
benefits, costs and the constraints e.g. ease of implementation and technical or legislative
constraints. Based on this analysis, the best solution is selected, and the decision is
converted into an action.

Typical steps in the integrated pest management decision process

1. Proper identification of problems

This is essential to gather information about its biology, ecology, and
behavior and monitoring population levels. If the identity is not correctly
established, then the information on the biology and ecology of the pest used to
make decisions will be incorrect. Mistaking a disease problem for an insect
problem, for example, can lead to an unnecessary use of an insecticide or
continued planting of disease-susceptible crop varieties. Confusing a nutritional
deficiency for herbicide injury or a disease ailment can likewise lead to incorrect
actions.

2. Determine the severity of the problem

Once the pest is correctly identified, the next question arises: Is there a risk of
significant loss? What is the extent of the damage? Is the problem a growing
threat? Scientific sampling and or crop monitoring techniques have been
developed for assessing the damage potential of many pests.
 Correct sampling helps eliminate the guesswork in pest control by providing a
means to quantify an old problem or discover a new one. Use sampling knowledge
and information on pest and crop biology to make better management decisions.

3. Analysis to assess problem importance

Analyze the identification and sampling information and evaluating the need for a
pest control action. Decide how bad the problem really is. Is the potential control
measure more costly than the damage potential? Weigh economic, environmental,
and time concerns. What impact will current pest control decision have on future
crop management decisions? Compare the observed frequency of a given pest to
its “action threshold.”

An action threshold is the level at which action must be taken so that the pest will
not significantly damage the crop. Action thresholds are based on research and
growers’ experiences with similar problems. During the analysis stage, consider
the relative vigor of the plants, plant populations, and value of the crop and
potential yield. Depending on the crop and pests type light pest populations may
actually increase yields by causing the plant to compensate.

4. Selection of appropriate management alternative

When an action is needed, choose a strategy that fits with the short- and long-
term plans, labor force, capital, equipment, and finances of the farm. Evaluate the
costs, benefits, and risks of employing various management options. Look for
opportunities to integrate different pest control strategies. What are the cultural,
mechanical, biological and chemical control options? Which is the most practical,
economical, effective choice?

5. Proper implementation of management option

Implement the control carefully and at the right time. If pesticides are used, always
follow label recommendations. Cultivation or using herbicides on weeds must be
done at the right stage of weed and crop development for greatest impact. Pay
close attention to the quality control of pest control actions, such as correct
calibration of the application equipment and label recommendations. If
appropriate, leave small, untreated areas to evaluate control effectiveness.
Conduct management action with precision and thoroughness.

6. Evaluation of effectiveness of management action

After a pest control action is taken, review what went right—and equally as
important, what went wrong or could be improved. Did the control work? Scout
the field again and compare pest activity before and after treatment. Was the
problem identified properly? Was the field sampling unbiased? Was threshold
guideline used and was it used correctly? Was the choice of control based on sound
judgment or outside pressure? What changes to the system would make it better?
 Enter this information as part of an updated field history. This evaluation step is a
very important part of the IPM process since it enables you to learn from
experience and find ways to improve management skills and impact.

Economic Threshold Level (ETL) IPM based decision-making

The economic threshold (ET) is probably the best-known term and most widely used
index in making pest management decisions. The most widespread use of ET (Economic
Threshold), has been where curative (therapeutic) management tactics (mainly
insecticides) are used. Here insect populations are sampled on a regular basis and when
needed, suppressive action is taken.

If a pest population is growing as the season progresses, growth rates are predicted, and
the ETL is set below the EIL. By setting the ETL at a low value, we are predicting that
once the population reaches the ETL, chances are good that it will grow to exceed the
EIL. Therefore, it is appropriate for us to take action on an earlier date (before we accrue
losses in reaching the EIL).

IPM decision-making has traditionally depended heavily on economic threshold levels that
are based on three factors;
a. management cost
b. commodity price
c. damage coefficients

These are highly variable and thus have not been found useful under most conditions
where economic and ecological considerations are of equal importance for stable
production. Therefore, decision-making is based on weighing potential management costs
against potential losses. Costs and losses, however, can include not only economic costs
and losses but can also have an impact on natural enemies, health and the environment
while taking into consideration the general condition of the crop. Obviously, a crop under
drought or flood stress is going to require a different decision from that for one under
optimal conditions.

The first level of decision-making therefore begins with the first principle of IPM - to
create a healthy soil and crop through proper soil fertility management, healthy seed and
appropriate varieties, strong seedling management, proper soil preparation, correct time
of planting, etc. A robust healthy crop has fewer pests in most cases and can recover
from pest damage. This principle applies throughout the cropping season and even
beyond, when issues such as crop rotation, cover cropping and green manuring are taken
into consideration

The second level of decision-making is based not on traditional pest-scouting but on

whole-field observation including soil, water, plant, pests, natural enemies and weather
patterns. Potential losses are weighed against potential management costs - a traditional
aspect of farming that becomes refined with improved observation skills and ecological
understanding gained during IPM training courses

Pesticide application may occasionally be one decision outcome, especially in higher

fertilizer input systems, but is by no means the only possibility. Decisions taken may
include soil, water and plant management actions such as increasing or reducing fertilizer
usage in response to pest or weather damage. Decision processes take into account the
impact of activities on natural enemies and plant compensation factors (e.g. will a spray
remove natural enemies and actually cause greater pest populations?). Selecting the least
toxic solutions in order to prevent health problems is also a factor in decision making.

Categories of Economic Thresholds (ETs) pest management decision rules

1. No thresholds - "identify and spray" conventional practice; decisions under this
category was common in applied entomology. Although using thresholds is
considered an advance for most insect problems today, there are at least five
situations where they are not appropriate:
a. Pest sampling cannot be done economically,
b. Practical response to cure problem cannot be implemented in a timely way
c. Once detected, the problem cannot be cured
d. ET is immeasurably low (some quality losses, disease transmission, rapid
growth potential)
e. Populations are intense where general level of fluctuation is always above
the EIL.

Management implementation in these situations usually must depend on

prevention, rather than cure. When insecticides are used for prevention, scheduled
treatments according to calendar date or cultural operation are the rule.

2. Nominal thresholds: represents decision rules that are declared on the basis of
manager's experience. Historically, these were first thresholds used and are still
the most frequent type implemented. Although sometimes criticized for not based
on rigorous research, nominal thresholds are an advance over using none at all,
because such decision rules tend to be conservative (i.e., resulted in reduced
insecticide applications).

3. Simple thresholds: type of threshold where levels are calculated on the basis of
average responses of hosts to injury caused by an insect. The four major inputs
of market value, management costs, tissue destroyed (or damage done) per
insect, and yield (or quality) reduction per tissue destroyed are used to make
calculations. Although these thresholds may be our best current practice, they
usually fail to consider possible interactions of several pests and changes in the
cropping environment that influence decisions.
 4. Comprehensive thresholds: Decision rules in this category await future
development. These addresses topics like effects of insect and weed interactions
on plant stress and include weather factors in calculating EILs. At the core of
establishing truly comprehensive thresholds for crops in an intimate understanding
of the host plant and its reaction to combined factors, both biotic and physical.

Farm level decision making level

For an IPM strategy to be successful, it must enter the farm level decision making
process and be adopted as the course of action. Adoption will occur because a strategy
ranks highest within a possible set of action. An IPM strategy will be adopted, then, either
because of profitability or because of constraints imposed. IPM strategies must be defined
with this in mind.

Farmer’s decision regarding pest management is determined by the following factors:

✓ problem in terms of the pest, the level of attack, and the damage caused ✓
options available to the farmer, such as cultural practices, resistant crop
varieties or breeds of livestock, and pesticides
✓ farmer's perceptions, of the problem and of the availability and effectiveness
of the options, and
✓ farmer's objectives, including monetary goals and his or her attitude to
financial risks, health hazards, and community values

References:

Radcliffe, E.B., Hutchinson, W.D., Cancelado, R.E. (2009). Integrated Pest Management
Concepts, Tactics, Strategies and Case Studies. Cambridge University Press. pp 25-47
Retrieved from. https://pestcontrol.ru/assets/files/biblioteka/file/10-
radcliffe_e_b_hutchison_w_d_cancelado_r_e_eds_-integrated_pest_management-
cup_2009.pdf

http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/13938/1/Unit-6.pdf

Singh, N. and Gupta, N. (2017). Decision Making in Integrated Pest Management and
Bayesian Network International Journal of Computer Science & Information Technology
(IJCSIT) Vol 9, No 2, Retrieved from. https://aircconline.com/ijcsit/V9N2/9217ijcsit03.pdf

https://nrcca.cals.cornell.edu/Pest%20Management%20Guide%20final%2010-26-
2016.pdf

https://ipm.tamu.edu/about/strategies/
http://www.fao.org/tempref/docrep/fao/004/y6159t/y6159t02.pdf