Forages Pest Management
Part 2, Section 6: Forages Pest Management
Forages Pest Management
A well-planned pest management program for forage crops involves using multiple strategies. These should include preventive techniques such as host plant resistance, monitoring, cultural controls, mechanical or physical controls, biological controls, and chemical control tactics. Preventive techniques may start with planting weed-free crop seed or choosing an alternative field or planting date. for potato leafhopper control in alfalfa, there are glandular-haired resistant varieties available that offer excellent control. Regularly monitoring for pests is an important predictive tool. Rotating crops to disrupt pest life cycles and planting adapted varieties are good examples of cultural controls. Mechanical or physical controls may include tillage and mowing to disrupt certain pests. Biological controls may include using insect or disease organisms or even grazing animals in pasture production systems. Finally, chemical controls are an important component of many IPM systems, but their use should be based on sound management decisions. See section 1 of this guide for more information about designing an integrated pest management program.
This guide provides chemical control suggestions based on university research and manufacturer recommendations. Management information for common forage crop pest problems is outlined in the following pages under "Weeds" "Insects" and "Diseases." For more information about Pennsylvania forage management and variety selections, refer to Part 1, Section 8 or http://www.forages.psu.edu/ on the World Wide Web. This publication strives for accuracy; however, omissions, inaccuracies, or dated information can occur because of the dynamics of pests and pest management. Seek out additional information from the manufacturer or other reliable sources when making important management decisions. Remember, this guide is not a substitute for the manufacturer's product label.
