Pest Management

Integrated

Integrated Pest Management

N o 9.

Perm aculture Re s ource Book M o dule 9.

Module

Notes...

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Pest problems occur because a system is not in balance.

Most commonly pest problems occur because of:
Fires, floods and land clearing
Using large areas of land for only one type of crop
Introducing pests from one area into another area
Destruction or removal of a pest predator, usually caused by pesticide use or by damage
to pest predator habitats
To manage pest problems, long term solutions should be used with an aim to return the
balance of nature. Long term solutions can sometimes take many years, so short term solutions
are also needed, such as using natural pesticides. Many different natural techniques for pest
management are combined together in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The main goal of
IPM is to avoid pest problems from happening and if pest problems do happen, to manage
them by using natural, environment friendly techniques.
Every part of the environment is connected to every other part, including people. What happens
to one part of a system will affect every other part of the system. This philosophy is the
foundation behind every IPM technique.
Observe how different parts of a system work and how they affect other parts of the same
system. Parts of a system include soil, insects, plants and trees, birds, animals, water, people
and technology. If different parts of a system can be integrated to work together it will bring
many benefits, including:
Less resource usage and less expenses because the land will maintain itself and the
resources used will mainly be local available resources
Soil, crop and environmental improvements, not gradual destruction
Increase in crop resistance to pests, disease and extreme weather
Increased overall productivity of the land
Improved health for people
This module will explain IPM techniques which can be used for all scales of agriculture, from small
scale home gardens and market gardens, to large scale agriculture, such as rice production,
fruit trees and all combined systems.

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The Importance of Healthy Soil

Healthy, living soil is soil which contains all the nutrients that plants need to grow. This
condition is the most important factor affecting IPM techniques for preventing pest and disease
problems.
If a person is healthy, they will usually live longer, not get sick as often
and if they do become sick, will recover faster. A healthy person is
stronger and more able to work and will produce children who are also
healthy. It is the same with plants! The base for good health for plants
and humans is also the same:
A balanced variety of nutrients and minerals (for plants); balanced,
healthy and nutritious foods (for people)
Healthy, living soil (for plants); a clean and comfortable house (for
people)
Water, sunlight and a healthy natural environment (for plants and
people)
Healthy plants will grow stronger and will be less likely to be attacked by pests and disease.
If attacked, healthy plants will suffer less damage and recover more quickly. Providing healthy
soil for plants will save time, energy and money later on.
Natural techniques will continuously improve soil quality so plants will be healthier and pest
problems can be prevented. (For more information about healthy soil, see Module 4 Healthy
Soil).

SMART IDEAS!
Compost is good to use on plants because it releases nutrients slowly into the soil.
Providing too many concentrated nutrients for plants at one time can cause plants
too grow too fast and become weak, leaving them at more risk to insect attacks.

Encouraging Natural Pest Predators

In a healthy, balanced system, different types of plants have different types of
pests which like to attack them, and different pests have different types of predators
which like to feed on the pests.
This will keep the number of pests in the ecosystem balanced. Natural
predators are very effective at controlling pests in the garden.
These natural pest predators include birds, lizards, frogs, bats,
dragonflies, wasps, spiders, praying mantis, ladybugs and some
types of flies.

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Natural pest predators can be encouraged in your garden if you provide what attracts them,
such as:
Ponds: For birds, frogs, dragonflies, wasps, bees and fish
(some fish will feed on mosquito larvae)
Trees: For birds, bats, wasps, bees and spiders
Rocks, rotting wood: For lizards and spiders
Flowers, small trees, vine plants: For wasps, bees, spiders, praying mantis and ladybugs
It can take up to a few years to create a balanced pest predator population. While waiting for
this process to become established, you may need to use other forms of pest management.

BEWARE!
Chemical pesticides and some natural pesticides will also kill pest predators and other
beneficial insects, this will damage their population. Use pesticides very carefully,
only when needed and only after you have tried using other safer methods.

Healthy Environment
If the area surrounding your land is healthy and diverse, the chances of pest problems are
greatly reduced. A healthy environment is essential for keeping agricultural systems balanced.
A healthy environment includes rivers, forest, steep slopes, house areas and so on. Protecting
water sources, stopping forest burning and preventing erosion are important steps towards
achieving a healthy environment. A healthy environment will enhance the effects of all IPM
techniques.

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Using Non-hybrid Seeds

Using non-hybrid or good quality local seeds will produce plants which are naturally more
resistant to pests and disease. Non-hybrid seeds from open pollination are the best seeds
to use because the quality will stay the same from generation to generation, and can even
improve if seed saving techniques are used. (For more information about seed saving, see
Module 5 Seed Saving and Nurseries).
Collect seeds from the best plants on your land. The seeds of these
plants will be best suited for the climate, local conditions, and be
more resistant to pests and diseases. Every family can observe
which crops are the best quality on their land. By collecting
seeds from these plants, families and groups can exchange
or sell seeds.
Think about why one crop is more resistant to pests and
disease. Some factors could be healthy soil, natural pest
predators, compost use, enough water and sunlight, and so
on. By understanding this we can breed better, healthier crops
every year.

Good Crop Management

Good crop management can be achieved by using techniques such as combining crops, crop
rotation, following natural patterns and companion planting.

Combining Crops
If croplands are planted with only one type of crop in large numbers, there is more chance
of pest or disease problems. This is because pests and disease will easily spread from one
plant to the next, and with one type of crop there is large amounts of food available in one
area so the number of pests can increase drastically. On large areas
of land with one type of crop, there is usually not enough natural
pest predators available to control pest problems. When pests
or diseases spread in large numbers, it can be very difficult
to control, especially if the damage caused already covers a
large area of land.
By combining different types of crops together, it will reduce
the spread of pests from one plant to the next. This will
eventually reduce the number of pests. For example, rows of
corn can act as a pest barrier to protect the crops which are
planted in between the corn rows.

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Crop Rotation
Some types of pests and diseases live in the soil and can cause a lot of damage if the same
type of crop is planted on the same land over and over again. Crop rotation means regularly
changing the type of crop planted with a different type of crop. This
will allow pests and diseases of one crop to die out before
the crop that they attack is replanted on that land. For
example, the fungus that attacks brassicas (cabbage,
cauliflower, broccoli etc). This fungus attacks their roots
and lives in the soil. By rotating brassica crops with
other types of crops the fungus will die out because
the plant which they attack is not planted.

Natural Patterns
Using natural patterns will provide more crop and animal diversity in one area, which helps to
encourage pest predator populations, and makes it more difficult for pests to spread from one
plant to the next.

Companion Planting
Some types of plants grow very well if planted close together. However, there are other plants
which do not grow well together. Knowledge about which plants grow well together will help
improve plant growth and control pest and disease problems, which will eventually increase the
lands productivity. Companion planting will provide many benefits, such as:
Repel insects. Plants and flowers which have strong scented leaves or flowers, such as
garlic, marigolds, daisies and ginger, will confuse and repel pest insects which use their
sense of smell to find plants they want to eat. The marigold plant is especially good for
repelling nematodes, a type of pest which lives in the soil and can damage plant roots
Attracts natural pest predators. Besides making the garden look beautiful, flowers will help
to attract pest predators. Flowers can be planted around vegetables and fruit trees. Some
flowers which will work well are roses, hibiscus, marigolds and some types of legumes
Slows pest spreading. Crop pests will find it difficult to spread from one plant to the next if
there are many different crops growing together
Different types of plants have different types of root growths. Knowledge of the different types
root growths will allow plants and trees to be planted closer together. There are some types of
plants, like the eucalypt trees, which release a substance (alelopati) from their roots and this
can make it difficult for other crops to grow close to them.
This kind of knowledge needs to be collected and shared with other people.

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Preventing Pest Attacks

Observation will prevent many pest problems before they arise.
When observing, consider:
Are the plants that are growing healthy?
Are there pests attacking the plants?
Where do the pests come from?
What type of pests are they, insects or other creatures?
What are the predators of this type of pest?
What will attract predators?
The earlier we know about pest and disease problems, the easier managing the problems will
be. Observe the stages of a pests lifetime, for example the fruit fly: Eggs, worm, grub, adult.
Identifying pests or diseases is very important. If you do not know, discuss it with other groups
or NGOs which may be able to help.
Each type of plant has a specific type of pest which will attack it. A pest which attacks one
type of plant will not necessarily attack a different type of plant growing nearby. Knowledge
about which pests will attack which plants can be used to prevent problems, through using
techniques such as crop rotation, companion planting and combining crops.
Use different methods and sprays to control different types of pests. Using a specific pest
control spray for a certain type of pest is better than using sprays which kill all types of insects.
Observation will help you to choose which type of spray is best to use.
Observation of pest problems and methods of pest control can happen every day while working
in the garden. Children can learn about good insects and insects which become pests, and
about how to control pest problems. Removing pests by hand is sometimes the most effective
method of pest control, especially for home gardens. Insect pests can be collected and fed to
chickens and ducks, or killed in a bucket of water. Snails can be cooked as pig or chicken feed.
And in some countries, people even eat them!
Pest insects also like to eat weeds. Through observation you can find out which types of weeds
attract pests away from your crops. Afterwards, these weeds now filled with pests, can be used
as animal feed or turned into compost.

Plant Diseases and Fungus

Trees infected with fungus can be helped by pruning back some branches to let in more sun
and wind. Fungus needs moisture to grow, but the sun and wind will help to keep the tree dry.
Always remove dead tree branches to reduce chances of fungus and disease. Observe carefully
if there are crops or trees infected with fungus, remove the parts which are already infected to
reduce chances of the disease spreading.

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Examples of Pest Prevention

Pest Prevention for Nurseries
Young seedlings of cabbage, lettuce, green leaved vegetables and
eggplant, are favorite foods for snails and slugs. Ants can also
damage seedlings and remove seeds. By growing seedlings in a
nursery, pest problems will be much easier to prevent. If you use
tables in the nursery, place the table legs in containers of water
or oil to stop pests from climbing up. A thick layer of grease or
vaseline on the table legs will also function well.

Pest Prevention for Trees

A layer of grease or vaseline over the tree trunk will stop pests from
climbing up the tree. This method works well for preventing pests which
lay their eggs in the soil, like fruit flies, some caterpillars and worms,
ants and other insect pests. Some trees that will benefit most from this
method include orange, soursop, mango and avocado trees.
The process of tree greasing:
1. Place a 10 cm band of material, like cloth, thick plastic or tin foil, around the tree trunk
and tie it securely. Make sure that insects cant get underneath the wrapping
2. Cover this band with grease. Fold the top over to make sure water wont flow in
3. Check it every 2 weeks to make sure the band of grease is still attached to the tree trunk

BEWARE!
Do not put grease directly on the tree trunk, especially with young trees.
The grease can damage or even kill the trees.

Pest Prevention for Paddies

Placing black palm fruit in paddy irrigation water will make mice
uncomfortable and deter them from returning. Cut 20-30 black palm
fruit and place in the irrigation water which flows into the paddies. The
best time to do this is around sunset. Repeat this method 3 times a
week while rice grains are ripening.

BEWARE!
Using too many black palm fruits is dangerous and can affect the
health of people harvesting the rice grains and later eating the rice
Be careful not to use black palm fruits in water irrigation which is used for bathing
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Pest Traps
Baits and traps are a good way to prevent pest numbers from increasing, and hence to reduce
damage to your crops.

Examples of Pest Traps

Traps for Fruit Flies
Fruit flies usually attack fruit trees, like rose apple, mango, guava, avocado, papaya, orange
and many more. A simple trap can be made using plastic water bottles.
1. Cut the top off a bottle and place in the bottle backwards
2. Fill the bottles with liquid bait. This bait can be:
A mixture of vinegar, sugar and water
A mixture of fermented fruits and water
Water smelling of rotten fish or meat
Old beer
3. Hang these bottles from the affected tree using strong string
or wire. 10 bottle traps for each tree should work well
Another way to handle fruit fly problems is to spray the ground
below fruit trees with a liquid neem mixture. Spray once before the
fruits begin to grow and again just before the fruits have ripened.
This will stop fruit fly larvae from changing into flies. Read the
insecticide section in this module for liquid neem recipes.

SMART IDEAS!
Fruit fly traps will work more successfully if neighbors also use them.

Traps for Snails / Slugs

Snail traps can be placed around the garden to attract and kill snails. Place a bowl or container
in the ground and fill half way with liquid bait, made of milk and water or old beer. A small
amount of finely cut lettuce or cabbage can also be added. The snails / slugs will enter the trap,
get stuck in the liquid and not be able to leave. If you use beer bait the snails will be happy
because they will die drunk.
Another method is to place old tin roofing or wet sacks on the ground near your vegetable
plots. Snails will like to live underneath this. Check the trap every few days. Coffee husks and
sawdust can be placed on paths around vegetable plots to help prevent snails from entering.
Snails dont like rough surfaces.

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Citrus Peel Traps

Use half peels of citrus fruits, like orange, lemon or lime, which still has a small amount of fruit
attached to the peel and place on the ground. This fruit will attract insect pests and snails /
slugs, and they will become trapped underneath the citrus peel.

Insect Nets
A net can be made to catch insects, like crickets, grasshoppers and more, by simply using
bamboo or wood with some old fish or mosquito netting attached. This net can become a fun
game for children to see who can catch the most insects, but be careful they dont damage
crops or catch beneficial insects.

Using Animals for Pest Control

Chicken and ducks are very happy to control pests for you!
Some ideas for integrating animals into other
systems:
If chickens or ducks are kept in one area, they
will clean under trees by eating all larvae and
insects which could damage the tree. Your pest
problems then become animal food!
If chickens or ducks are kept on cropland after
harvest, they will eat many pests in the ground
which are waiting for the next crop planting. At
the same time the chickens and ducks will be
fertilizing the land and functioning as animal
tractors

ducks & pigs

Give insects to animals as their food. If plants

infested with pests are given to animals, the
plants will become animal fodder, and this will
reduce pest numbers

ducks & chickens

chicken tractor
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Natural Pesticides
Natural pesticides are a short term solution for handling immediate pest problems quickly.
Natural pesticides should be a part of pest management, but should only be used when
necessary. Do not use natural pesticides if there are no pests or crops are not damaged.
In fact, they should not even be used if only small amount of crops are damaged. Take time
to observe if pest predators are eating the pests and if those pests are spreading quickly or
slowly, if there are still pest predators, it is best to let them do the work.
Some natural insecticides are very strong and will kill all insects, both damaging and beneficial
insects. Be careful, because most insects are not harmful to your crops and killing them can
even cause more problems in the future.

How to Use Natural Pesticides

You can use a palm broom or tree branch as a brush. This is a simple
method to use, but sometimes the natural pesticides will not
spread evenly. And when using these methods it will be much
more likely for the pesticides to get on your skin.
For home gardens and small pest problems, plastic hand
sprayers can be used and are effective. An aqua bottle with
small holes in the lid will make an easy and cheap sprayer.
A hand sprayer made of bamboo can also be used and is
explained in more detail later in this module.
The best way to spray is using a spray pack, but these are expensive
and require more maintenance. One spray pack can be bought
by a group or as a community owned tool.
When spraying, always wear long pants, long shirts, gloves,
shoes and a protective cover for your mouth and nose,
especially when spraying stronger natural pesticides. Glasses
are also good to use, and remember, some types of natural
pesticides can cause skin problems and make you sick if too much
gets on your skin, or into your mouth, nose or eyes. After use, all spray
tools should be cleaned with water before they are stored.

Hand Picking
Hands are an excellent natural pesticide! Many pest problems can be controlled by regular
observation and hand removal of pests.

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SMART IDEAS!
Stop using natural pesticides at least 2 weeks before harvesting. This is very
important to prevent food becoming contaminated with pesticides which could
make people sick
Rotate the type of sprays uses to prevent insects becoming resistant to a any
one type of pesticide. Some types of pesticides will work better than others.
Experiment for yourself
Spray in the morning or late afternoon to prevent plants burning in the hot sun
During the wet season, try to spray at least 3 hours before rain fall, so that the
spray can will have maximum effect

Insect Spray (Biological Spray)

Collect a handful of insects which are eating your

plants, crush them and mix them into a small
bucket of water. Leave for 2 days. Strain the liquid
and spray onto the affected crops. The same type
of pests as the ones in the spray will be repelled

by this liquid. The remaining insect bodies can be

put in containers and placed around crops. The

smell of this will continue to repel pests.

This spray works well for worms, caterpillars, slugs, snail and various other small pests, but it
is less effective for grasshoppers.

Neem Spray
The neem tree can be used to make a safe and effective natural insecticide.
Neem can be used on almost all types of insects, including mosquitoes.
Sometimes it can take a few weeks for results to show, because with some
types of insects neem breaks their breeding cycles. Neem is one of the best
plants to use because it is safe for people and will not cause many problems for beneficial
insects, especially pest predators. In some conditions, it may even increase production of
beneficial earthworms.
Snails / slugs, nematodes, beetles, worms, moths, leaf miners, flies, mosquitoes and grasshoppers
are some of the insects which can be controlled by using neem spray.
Methods for using neem:
Crush neem seeds and put into a cloth bag. Place the bag into a bucket or drum filled with
water overnight. Use 500 grams neem seeds for every 10 liters of water. Use as a spray
on pest insects and affected crops. This method is more effective than using neem leaves
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 Collect a large handful of fresh neem leaves, crush into small bits and place in a bucket of
water. Leave for 2 days, then remove the leaves and use the liquid as a spray
Dry a large handful of neem leaves, crush them and place in a bucket of water. Leave for
2 days, strain and then use the liquid as a spray
Neem spray can also be made by soaking crushed neem seeds in alcohol or making oil
from the neem seeds using an oil press. These methods are more expensive but produce
a much stronger product

Garlic and Chili Spray

Combine 3 bulbs of peeled garlic with a large handful of chilies and boil
in a pot of water. Add block of soap, stir evenly and leave for one day.
Strain and use 2 cups of this liquid each time you spray.
Garlic is an insecticide, fungicide and pest repellent. Chili is also an insecticide and insect
repellent. The soap will help the spray stick to plants and pests. Use this liquid for aphids,
worms, caterpillars and moths.

SMART IDEAS!
Garlic and chili plants will naturally repel many insects. Plant them around fruit
trees and vegetable plots to help reduce insect problems
Garlic and chili can also be used separately as sprays

Papaya Spray
Collect 1 kg of papaya leaves (about 1 large plastic bag), crush into small bits and mix into 1
liter of water, then leave for 1 hour. Strain and add 4 more liters of water and 1 large spoonful
of soap. Spray onto insect pests. This papaya spray can be used on aphids, termites, bugs
and caterpillars. For termites, crush young unripe papaya fruit and collect the juice. Spray this
directly onto termites and damaged wood.

Ginger Juice Spray

Grate one handful of ginger and put into a bucket of water. Leave for one day, then spray on
damaged plants to control larvae of worms and caterpillars.

Taro Leaf Spray

Taro leaves contain lysollic acid. When insect eat this, it feels something like eating broken glass!
To make this spray, simply crush 10 taro leaves and place in 3 liters of water ( bucket), stir
well. Spread onto plants using a palm broom. Make sure every plant is covered well with this
liquid so they will equally receive protection against insects.

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Tomato Leaf Spray

Tomato leaves are a natural insecticide and a mild
fungicide, they can be used on aphids, ants, worms,
caterpillars, insect eggs, grasshoppers, moths,
nematodes, white flies, fungi and bacterial rot.
To make the spray, cook 1 kg of tomato leaves
in 2 liters of water for 30 minutes, add 2 finely
cut handfuls of tomato leaves, stem and fruit,
and 2 liters of water. Mix the materials together,
then leave for 6 hours ( day). Strain and add
block of soap. Spray this liquid every 2 days if
insects, especially moths, are in large numbers.

BEWARE!
Tomato leaves when used as an insecticide are poisonous to humans. This is because
the chemicals in the tomato leaves becomes much more concentrated. Wear gloves
and protective materials over your nose and mouth when using this spray.

Glue Spray
Glue spray can be made from water left over from cooking
cassava, taro or potatoes. Small insects will stick to the glue
end eventually die of suffocation. This spray is good to use for
aphids, caterpillars and white flies, but you can also try it on other
small insects. To make the spray simply mix the left over cooking water from cassava, taro or
potatoes with more water. The strength of this liquid depends on which are used, just estimate.
Spray on plants. A good mixture will leave a thin white coating on plants once it has dried.

Soap Spray
This spray is effective for snails, slugs, aphids, caterpillars, small beetles and other leaf eating
insects. To make this spray use 1 large spoonful of soap or soap powder per 1 liter of water.
Spray only on pests or damaged plants. You can also use left over dish washing or cloth
washing water as a pesticide spray.

Betel Nut Juice Spray

Betel nut juice is known as a very effective poison for giant snails and other types of snails!
Collect the betel nut juice in a bucket, combine with water and spray directly on snails. This
spray can be made of betel nut, lime powder, or a combination of both. Spray outside of your
vegetable plots to deter snails from entering. However, this liquid is not recommended for use
directly on plants. Use regularly.
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Tobacco Leaf Spray

Tobacco leaf spray should only be used as a last option. Wear protective
clothing and protective material for hands and face when making and using
tobacco spray. Tobacco leaves are very poisonous and can kill beneficial
insects as well.
Tobacco spray can be used for most pest insects. To make the spray soak 1 kg (1 plastic bag)
of crushed tobacco leaves in 15 liters of water for 1 day and 1 night. Add two large spoonfuls
of liquid or block soap and stir well. Strain and use the liquid as a spray. You can also dry the
leaves and crush them into a powder. The powder can be used for aphids, slugs, caterpillars
and leaf curl virus. Do not use this spray on tomato plants, potato, eggplant, chilli plants or
roses.
Ants cause problems through their digging and removing seeds. They can never be removed
completely, but their effects can be reduced. For root damage, try using biological, chili, garlic,
tomato or tobacco sprays.

Natural Fungicides
Fungus is an organism that lives and grows on the surface of plants, animals, wood, people
and even cement and non-living surfaces. Fungus lives best in damp and moist conditions. This
can cause problems for plants by covering plant surfaces, which causes rotting and prevents
normal growth. The best way to control fungus on plants is by providing them with enough
wind, sunlight and air flow. Fungus growth is encouraged by dark and damp conditions, and
rotting materials.
For trees, remove all dead wood and prune the tree to allow more
wind and sunlight through. Only prune as much as is needed.
For vegetables, remove old and dead leaves and provide
trellises for climbing plants, like peas, beans and tomatoes.
Very badly diseased plants should be removed and burned.
Dont let mulch touch tree trunks or vegetable stems.

pruning back
dead branches

Neem Spray
You can use neem as a natural fungicide. Make liquid from neem seeds in the same way as
used for natural pesticides, then spray this on mildew and rust mildew. This may also work for
other fungus, but more research is still being conducted. Experiment for yourself.

Seaweed Tea Spray

Collect some fresh seaweed, rinse with water to remove the salt, then place
in a bucket of water. Leave for 2 weeks, then spray on fungus infected
plants.

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Diluted Urine Spray

Combine 1 part human urine to 4 parts water. Spray on plants or trees damaged from fungus,
like vine mildew, powdery mildew, and other types of similar fungus.

Milk Powder Spray

Combine 1 liter fresh milk or powdered milk with 10 liters of water. Spray every 10 days on
vegetables or trees that are suffering from fungus, mildew or mosaic virus.

Sweet Potato Leaf Spray

Cut and soak 3 large handfuls of sweet potato leaf in 1 bucket of water. Leave for 1 day, then
use as a spray for fungus, especially for rice fungus diseases.

Garlic Spray
Dry garlic and crush into a powder. Combine one large spoon of garlic powder with 1 liter of
water and use as a spray for fungus attacking tomato and bean plants.

Papaya Spray
Papaya spray can be used on insects, but can also be used as a mild
fungicide for coffee rust, powdery mildew and brown spots on rice leaves.
Evaluating Results
The results of using natural pesticides and fungicides should be continuously observed. Observe
how much the pesticides are working and if the treatment needs to be repeated. If pest
problems have not stopped, you have a few choices, such as:
Repeating the spray treatment
Trying a stronger combination
Trying a different pesticide
Combining natural pesticide materials (combine different kinds of materials together)

Making Simple Sprayers

This information is taken from Liklik Buk, a development book compiled by Lik Lik Buk information
center, Papua New Guinea.
Materials:
A bamboo pole of adult arm length with nodes 3-4 cm wide
A wooden rod, about 1 meter long, longer than the bamboo it will fit into. It is best to use
a hard wood
Nails for making holes, a hammer, a saw
A strip of cloth, about 1 meter long and 10 cm wide
A small length of wire or strong string
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Method:
1. Cut the bamboo pole so that on one end of the node is closed and the other end is open.
There cannot be any other nodes in between the ends. Use the nails and hammer to make
lots of small holes on one side (where the node is closed). Wrap with wire or string around
the other side to stop it from splitting
2. Wrap the strip of cloth around one end of the wooden rod until it is thick enough to be
used as a valve (fits tightly into the bamboo pole), tie with wire or string to hold it in place.
Make a handle and stopper at the other end of the wooden rod. The stopper will stop you
from pushing the rod through the bamboo node

2
How to use:
This sprayer is used like a simple pipe or sprayer:
1. Push the rod into the bamboo pole up to the stopper
2. Dip the node end of the bamboo pole into spray liquid, then pull back the
rod to its original position. The tube will fill with liquid as you pull it back.
Be careful not to pull the rod out of the pole
3. When you want to spray, simply push the rod back into the bamboo pole
until the liquid in the bamboo pole is used up. Refill and spray again
This sprayer works similar to a doctors syringe. This sprayer can also be made
of plastic or metal pipes instead of bamboo.

Biological Control
Sprays made from insects are a form of biological control. Besides insect sprays, there are
some other techniques which are biological control methods, like introducing a pest predator
into an area that has large pest problems. However, large scale pest control should be discussed
within groups or have government support and involvement. Often the pest problems can be
controlled without having to use pesticides.
Remember! Most insects are not harmful to your crops. All insects play specific roles in nature
and are needed to keep a balanced ecosystem. In fact, small numbers of pests are also needed
to supply food for pest predators. Removing all pests can cause imbalance in the ecosystem
and cause you to become dependant on pesticides.
Integrated Pest Management is a strategy which will improve your land and crop productivity,
especially for the long term. These techniques naturally combine with Permaculture techniques
to help create a strong and resilient agriculture system.

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Notes...

M o d u l e 9 : I n t e g r a t e d Pe s t M a n a g e m e n t

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Notes...

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