Status, constraints and strategies of integrated pest management in vegetable crops

Vegetable crops play a vital role in crop diversification, employment generation, nutritional security and in improving the economic conditions of farmers. The area and production of vegetables have increases significantly in the country but still the productivity of vegetable crops in India is 15.0 tonnes per ha which needs o be improved by adopting recommended Integrated Crop Management practices including high yielding hybrids and varieties. Among the various constraints of low productivity, menace of pests and diseases is one of the major factor. According to an estimate about 11–26 per cent yield is lost due to various pests and diseases attack. The studies revealed that from the last two decades, Integrated Pest Management modules have been developed by different public and private sectors and wherever these modules are adopted farmers have got remunerative returns of their produce due to high productivity and quality but their implementation on large scale is limited. With respect to promote greater IPM implementation, special emphasis is necessary to generate increased awareness and transfer of recommended IPM strategies. Chemical pesticide is one the viable component of IPM besides cultural practices and biological control but indiscriminate use of pesticides has adversely affect the ecosystem, human health and resistance problem in pests. Several pesticides have been introduced at national level in the recent past which are very effective of lower dosages against pest and diseases in vegetable crops. Hence, their judicious application needs to be promoted to reduce the number of application of hazardous chemicals.