integrated pest management

Technique for agricultural disease- and pest-control in which as many pest-control methods as possible are used in an ecologically harmonious manner to keep infestation within manageable limits. Integrated pest management addresses the serious ecological problems created by the extensive use of powerful chemical pesticides. It minimizes their use and combines them with biological methods of pest control, including the breeding of pest-resistant crop varieties, the development of crop culture methods that inhibit pest proliferation, the release of predators or parasites of the pest species, and the placement of traps baited with the pest's own sex attractants (pheromones). Chemical insecticides generally are applied only as a last resort.

Find more information on integrated pest management. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on integrated pest management.