The tendency to manage insects in
stored products is the replacement chemical control measures by cost-effective
nonchemical alternatives. Integrated Pest management (IPM) is an approach to
pest control that uses cost-benefit analysis in making decisions. IPM programs
include the study of factors regulating insect distribution and abundance and
sampling to make inferences about insect populations.
A good IPM must balance the cost
of a sampling program with higher profit of reducing pest infestation. Sampling
methods as absolute sampling is very expensive and in countries where the
manpower is costly is usually replaced by traps. Relative sampling costs less
but is still expensive, because usually traps need to be replaced either
because they are consumables or damaged.
The first step of sampling is
predicting mean variance to determine the number of samples needed. The
implementation of a sampling program must attach a threshold of the economic
injury level, the limit from that the insect density causes the reduction of the
market value of the product and the needs to make a decision of using control
measures.
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