Integrated pest management for sustainable agriculture and biological precision

Summary

This systematic review of over 200 peer-reviewed studies (2000–2025) across six continents demonstrates that integrated pest management reduces chemical pesticide use by 40–70% whilst enhancing crop yields by 10–35%. The most effective IPM frameworks combine biological control agents (Trichoderma, Bacillus, Pseudomonas spp.), ecological engineering, cultural practices, and artificial intelligence-enabled decision-support systems. Adoption is constrained by socio-economic barriers—farmer literacy, financial capacity, and policy support—but participatory approaches including Farmer Field Schools and mobile-enabled tools substantially improve uptake and resilience in resource-limited regions.

Regional applicability

Findings are globally applicable but with variable transferability to the United Kingdom context. Whilst UK farming can benefit from IPM principles and digital decision-support tools, the socio-economic barriers highlighted (farmer literacy, financial constraints, weak policy support) are less acute in developed economies with established extension services. UK-specific barriers and enablers—such as subsidy structures, regulatory frameworks, and farmer networks—would require localised investigation to optimise IPM adoption.

Key measures

Chemical pesticide use reduction (%), crop yield enhancement (%), adoption rates, farmer profitability, resilience to climate-induced pest outbreaks

Outcomes reported

The study synthesized evidence on IPM adoption outcomes, finding reductions in chemical pesticide use (40–70%) and enhancements in crop yields (10–35%) across diverse crops and agroecosystems. It identified effective IPM frameworks integrating biological control agents, ecological engineering, cultural practices, and digital decision-support systems, whilst highlighting socio-economic barriers and adoption strategies.

Topic tags