Every farmer knows the damage that a pest infestation can cause. Pests can damage your gravest and leave you staring at huge losses. When it comes to agricultural pest control tips, long term strategies are required for the minimization of pests and prevention of diseases. Coping with plant diseases in the field can be difficult because the organisms are often too small and they multiply very fast.
The most important step when handling pest diseases is realizing that diseases must be eradicated and not just temporarily controlled. You might wonder what the difference is, right? Eradication means having a full set of activities that work together. These activities are carefully planned and are gradually implemented over several seasons rather than a single season.
Below, have a look at the best tips for agricultural pest control:
Table of Contents
Understand the pest’s relationship with the crops in your farm
Do a little research and figure out where and when pests are found in crops. Pest identification is useful as it ensures the most suitable biological control agents can be selected. Observe the time of the year when the pests are most active and this can be a useful guide to prospective future issues.
Encourage beneficial insects into the crops from the vicinity
This is cost- effective as you only need the insects that are useful thus understanding which might be pests. Fine-tune spray schemes on the nursery to aid in the build-up of beneficial insects as you nurture areas of native plants to help the beneficial insects flourish.
Pesticides selection and use
Pesticides are different and not all pesticides are effective and compatible with biological pest control schemes. It is important to discover which pesticides have been bought as some may contain ingredients that may remain harmful after their last use. Its better to hire the professionals like Empire Pest Control Company in London to remove the pests.
Make certain that the growing conditions are suitable for the control agents being introduced
Different control agents have different components and their initial success depends on the prevailing temperatures. Ensure that you research well on a product before deciding on its use, factors such as the type of heating system being used, whether the crop will be bench grown or floor grown should help you choose the most effective control agent.
Keeping records
Keeping records will help in the understanding of the performance of previous methods. This will help know the areas that need to be improved. If possible keep the records of weather/temperature and spray applications.
Engage with others
Talking to other people within your locality can prove helpful as they may have tried and tested a product successfully. Discuss what works and what does not and you will in turn, end up benefiting in ways you couldn’t have done while alone.
Know when and how to act
Know what is going on with the crops, check them regularly for any signs of pest infestation and select the best control agents to match the pest population.