In
integrated pest management
Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control (IPC) is a broad-based approach that integrates both chemical and non-chemical practices for economic control of pests. IPM aims to suppress pest populations below the econ ...
, the economic threshold is the density of a
pest at which a
control treatment will provide an economic return.
An economic threshold is the insect's population level or extent of
crop damage at which the value of the crop destroyed exceeds the cost of controlling the pest.
Economic thresholds can be expressed in a variety of ways including the number of insects per plant or per square metre, the amount of leaf surface damage, etc. In many cases, thresholds have been established through scientific research. Because some combinations of pests and crops have not yet been studied, some thresholds are just educated estimates.
References
Pest control
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