Invertebrate pests cause problems in agriculture when the level of injury they cause reaches a point where the crop yield is significantly reduced.
Pests can attack the crop through direct feeding on plant tissues or through the transmission of viruses to crop plants.
Pest species include creatures like slugs, beetles and aphids.
Each of the major species or group of species which are considered agricultural pests will have a topic page which will give specific details.
This page is for more general or minor pest species.
Content below is from across the PEP community and is not necessarily endorsed by Stewards or by PEP
Integrated Pest Management highlights the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms. IPM is one of the tools for low-pesticide-input pest management, and IPM must now be implemented by all professional agchem users.
Pollen beetles (Meligethes aeneus) are prevalent during Spring and Summer months and are a significant pest of European oilseed rape.
Derived from natural materials such as animals, plants, bacteria and certain minerals. Designed to affect only one target pest and often decompose quickly.
ADAS scientists help evidence and guide crop disease management by chemical, genetic and biological approaches. Our expertise covers all areas of disease management on the major crops. We lead multi-organisation collaborative research into disease management and preventation, as well as provide strategic consultancy.
The Peach-Potato Aphid (PPA) known as Mysus persicae is known to feed on a wide range of plants including several grown as crops. They are known to transmit viruses to crop plants including Turnips Yellow Virus (TuYV) which can lead to yield reductions in oilseed rape.
Sitobion avenae and Rhopalosiphum padi, otherwise known as the grain aphid and bird cherry-oat aphid, are the two main species of cereal aphids.
Bruchus rufimanus is a widespread pest of beans. Adults are 3.5 - 4.5 mm long, squat shaped, black or dark-bown with small grey flecks
Orange wheat blossom midge can seriously damage yield and quality of susceptible wheat varieties but it depends on whether the egg-laying adult females emerge at the time when the wheat is at the at risk growth stage. Adults are small (1.5-2.5 mm long) and are a very distinctive bright orange colour.
The pea and bean weevil adults cause characteristic leaf notching around the leaf margins. The larvae can cause significant damage to the nitrogen-fixing root nodules.
The IPM Decisions project will create an online platform that is easy to use for the monitoring and management of pests. Access the platform now at https://platform.ipmdecisions.net/
The Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle (CSFB) Psylliodes chrysocephala is a key pest on OSR in the UK and across the EU. They are specialist herbivores of plants in the crucifer's family.
This Innovative Farmers Field Lab investigated defoliation as a control for cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) larval populations in oilseed rape. It worked with eight farmers to look at the potential for controlling cabbage stem flea beetle by mowing and grazing OSR crops
This Topic doesn't yet have a Stewarded summary, but connected groups, content and organisations show below. Click the 'Ask to Join' button if you would like to be a Steward for this Topic and provide a summary of current knowledge and recommend useful resources, organisations, networks and projects. "Like" this Topic if you would like to see it prioritised for providing a wikipedia style summary.
The Wheat Bulb Flu (Delia coarctata) is a small fly - the larvae (grubs) burrow in stems and cause tillers to die (dead-heart damage symptoms).
Enviresearch exists to provide the best regulatory and risk assessment service in Europe for the global chemical industry.
TALISMAN and SCARAB were long-term projects developed to follow on from issues raised in the Boxworth project. TALISMAN focused on the economic issues of reducing pesticide and fertiliser use, whilst SCARAB examined the ecological side-effects of pesticides.
AHDB Project PR623 - Integrated pest management of cabbage stem flea beetle in oilseed
An ADAS report to DEFRA in 1998 highlighting key trends and research priorities for the sunflower industry in the UK Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus var. macrocarpus) are in high demand due to the culinary, confectionary, bird-seed and industrial uses of their seeds (and thus oils), in addition to the popularity of the flowers in horticulture. At the time of this report in 1998, the UK imported ~350,000 tonnes of seed annually. Whilst sunflower can be grown in the UK, there are a number of challenges including limited drilling dates to comply with soil temperature requirements, and careful monitoring of a range pests and diseases that sunflower is susceptible to. Further risks such as a late harvest time and the possibility of sunflower itself becoming a weed in following crops meant many farmers were not considering growing sunflowers on their farms. Based on a survey of UK farmers (including both sunflower growers and non-growers), the key factors reported that would encourage more UK farmers to adopt sunflower crops were… To convince farmers of profitability Guaranteed establishment of the crop Earlier harvests Good disease and weed control More information on growing the crops This project provided a comprehensive review of growing sunflower as an arable crop in the UK. You can find the entire report linked at the bottom of this article (including historical and market information on sunflowers) but some of the key sections are highlighted here. Note all information is accurate for the time of this report (1998).
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Agrochemicals are chemical products used for agricultural purposes. Although agrochemicals have high input costs, they are widely used in the farming industry for their beneficial effects on crop yields and quality and associated reduced labour costs. Together with advances in agricultural machinery and infrastructure, the use of agrochemicals played a large role in the Green Revolution. This was a period in the 21st century in which the spread of various agricultural technologies led to greatly increased yields and production globally. However, a number of concerns around agrochemicals exist including negative effects on human health and the environment and the development of pest populations that are becoming resistant to them. A major challenge of modern agriculture is to try and reduce reliance on agrochemicals whilst continuing to increase yields and feed a growing global population.
This area is for identification of pest and beneficial insects and invertebrates.
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A group of farmers is investigating with Harper Adams University how trap crops such as sticky and African nightshade can be used as a biological management practice.
The Defra Pest and Disease survey has been running for approximately 50 years and monitors endemic pests and diseases in winter wheat and winter oilseed rape, along with accompanying information about agronomic practice and pesticide inputs to the crop.
The biennial International Advances in Pesticide Application is the pre-eminent conference aimed at researchers, advisors, manufacturers, practitioners and regulators in this subject area from around the world. It provides an opportunity for networking and sharing ideas in an informal and collegial atmosphere for all those with an interest in pesticide application technology, its influence on the performance of plant protection products and human and environmental exposures to pesticides.
The bruchid beetle (also known as bean seed beetle or broad bean weevil) damages the seeds of field bean and its larvae can lead to crop rejection in broad beans.
Pea and bean weevil (also called pea leaf weevil) is a particular risk to spring-sown peas and beans.
Natural enemies, such as parasitoid species, are an important element in managing crop pests.
In recent years we have seen an increase in the incidence of grain mite (Acarus siro) infestation in all stored cereals and pulses. Infestations can affect grain whether it is crimped, dry, or even treated with Propcorn NC or urea. Some cases have also been seen in higher DM wholecrops, particularly beans.
Using the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri can be a successful biological control solution for these sucking pests.
Pea moth is one of the most damaging pea pests in this country and in Europe.
The encyclopaedia provides at-a-glance information on the pests and natural enemies associated with cropping systems.
Biofumigation involves incorporating brassicaceous cover crops into the soil.
"An essential guide offering practical tips and approaches for farmers to adopt as they look for better and more sustainable ways to protect their crops."
A series of case study booklets compiled through the IPM Works project.
The introduction of natural enemies (biological controls) has become a common method for dealing with certain pests.
These documents are designed for use by growers and agronomists in Europe to inform them on smart technologies and methodologies available to them for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions in open-field and greenhouse systems.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a holistic whole-farm approach to help mitigate the likelihood of pest, weed and disease pressure in a farming system. (Agricology)
This 16-page bulletin helps producers—and the educators who work with them—use ecological principles to design farm-wide approaches to control pests.
Because variables such as temperature and humidity have a profound effect on the activity of crop pests, diseases and natural enemies, the ability to monitor environmental conditions within a crop has always been important for crop protection.
Researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Leiden University have engineered a biological barrier that protects plants from diseases and pests.
Explore pest and disease data and information collected over 50 years with the Defra Pest & Disease Survey website.
