AGRICULTURE REPORT - Integrated Pest Management

AGRICULTURE REPORT - Integrated¹ Pest Management
By Mario Ritter

Broadcast: Tuesday, February 22, 2005

I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

The use of pesticides³ was an important part of the "Green Revolution," the movement that changed modern agriculture. Poisons can kill crop-eating insects, unwanted plants and harmful fungi⁴. But these chemicals can also spread into the environment and kill helpful organisms.

Integrated pest management looks for a combination of methods to solve problems or prevent them.

Controlling pests starts with identification⁵. Some kinds of insects, for example, look very similar. It is important to find out exactly what kind of pest is causing the damage and how much it has developed.

This first step can help farmers make other decisions. For example, no action may be needed if the problem is minor⁶. Or, chemical treatments may not be needed if other methods can do the same job.

The University of California has had a Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program since nineteen seventy-nine. Experts have created guidelines⁷ that can help farmers create crop protection plans.

A good way to understand how these guidelines work is to look at a pest management program for a single crop. For example, alfalfa is an important food for farm animals, but also a target of many pests.

Alfalfa fields can support many biological controls. These are helpful insects and organisms that attack pests. If pesticides are needed, they must be chosen carefully. Use of the wrong poison will destroy helpful organisms and permit other pests to move in. Birds can also serve as important biological controls.

The way alfalfa is harvested can have a big effect, too. Harvesting parts of a field at different times can limit the spread of pests. Keeping a border of unharvested alfalfa by open water can also help.

Developed nations are the largest users of pesticides. But the Food and Agriculture Organization says the pesticide² market in those countries is slowing or shrinking. The United Nations agency says several countries have set up programs to reduce pesticide use because of environmental concerns.

Today, many agriculture departments at universities teach integrated pest management methods.

Internet users can learn more about the Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program at the University of California at ipm.ucdavis.edu. Or you can find a link at www.unsv.com.

This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. I'm Gwen Outen.

1 integrated   

a.整合的，完整的

参考例句：

• A fully integrated low phase noise LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented.介绍了一种全集成的LC压控振荡器(VCO)的设计。

2 pesticide   

n.杀虫剂，农药

参考例句：

• The pesticide was spread over the vegetable plot.菜田里撒上了农药。
• This pesticide is diluted with water and applied directly to the fields.这种杀虫剂用水稀释后直接施用在田里。

3 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 fungi   

n.真菌，霉菌

参考例句：

• Students practice to apply the study of genetics to multicellular plants and fungi.学生们练习把基因学应用到多细胞植物和真菌中。
• The lawn was covered with fungi.草地上到处都是蘑菇。

5 identification   

n.视为同一，证明同一，确认

参考例句：

• He's made a formal identification of the body.他正式确认了死者身份。
• We should have identification card on the person when we go out.我们外出时应随身携带身份证。

6 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

7 guidelines   

n.指导方针，准则

参考例句：

• The government has drawn up guidelines on the treatment of the mentally ill. 政府制订了对待精神病人的指导方针。
• Planners seem a little uncomfortable with the current government guidelines. 规划师似乎不太接受现行的政府指道方针。