What is natural pest and disease control?
- Pests and diseases are part of the natural environmental system. In this system there is a balance between predators and pests. This is nature’s way of controlling populations.
- The creatures that we call pests and the organisms that cause disease only become ‘pest and diseases’ when their activities start to damage crops and affect yields.
- If the natural environmental system is imbalanced then one population can become dominant because it is not being preyed upon.
- The aim of natural control is to restore a balance between pest and predator and to keep pests and diseases down to an acceptable level.
- The aim is not to eradicate them altogether, as they also have a role to play in the natural system.
- Once a pest or disease has started to attack a crop, the damage cannot be repaired and control becomes increasingly difficult. Where possible, use techniques to avoid or prevent pest and disease attack in the first place.
Methods of Pest and Disease Control
- A healthy soil
- A healthy crop
- Resistant varieties
- Rotation
- Good hygiene
- Soil tillage
- Soil pH
- Timely sowing
- Companion planting
- Plants to attract predators and
- parasites
- Barriers
- Traps
- Light traps
- Fly traps
- Hand picking
- Biological control
- Natural pesticides
- Social prevention