by D.S. Thakur
Professor of Agricultural Economics
Regional Research Station, Bajaura

Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides has led to the destruction of beneficial organisms, resistance against pesticides, resurgence of treated pests, pesticidal residues in food-chains, environmental pollution and health disorders. In view of this, the current thrust is on the Integrated Pest Management System (IPMS) as the main plank of plant protection to make use of the resistant varieties, bio-control agents and physical and cultural methods of pest control which are more important in the context of sustainable agriculture.

IPMS encourages the use of bio-agents like predators, avoids the use of broad-spectrum insecticides to conserve natural enemies of insect-pests. IPMS is need-based with judicious use of pesticides on the basis of economic threshold level (ETL) of major insect-pests for sustainable farming.