A knowledge-based approach to designing control strategies for agricultural pests

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Ecology
• Entomology

Background:

• Chemical pest control is crucial for agriculture but faces challenges like resistance and environmental regulations.
• Understanding crop-pest-chemical interactions is limited, especially for soil-dwelling pests in complex soil systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the COMPASS (Concept for Optimizing Management Practices and Strategies) framework.
• To develop and validate a systems model (COMPASS-Rootworm) for simulating root damage by corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) in maize.

Main Methods:

• Integrated ecological knowledge of pest behavior and crop physiology with chemical distribution and toxic action.
• Developed a two-dimensional systems model, COMPASS-Rootworm.
• Validated the model against 109 field trials across four US sites over ten years, assessing insecticidal product efficacy and placement.

Main Results:

• Simulated root damage closely matched field trial measurements.
• Identified key factors influencing root damage and pest control, including pest pressure, weather, insecticide distribution, and timing.
• The model accurately predicted outcomes across diverse sites and seasons.

Conclusions:

• The COMPASS framework and COMPASS-Rootworm model provide a mechanistic understanding of soil pest-crop interactions.
• The model can inform integrated pest management (IPM) strategies, optimize pesticide use, and reduce environmental impact.
• Enhances efficiency in insecticide development and application strategies.