Integrated Pest Management

integrated pest management or IPM, a term which dates back to the mid 1970s in Europe. Initially developed for insect pests, IPM now encompasses the control of diseases, weeds, and physiological vine disorders and has the potential to increase economic returns for the grower and improve environmental and human safety by reducing, limiting or even eliminating the use of agrochemicals.

IPM is considered by conventional growers as a form of sustainable viticulture but most IPM management systems differ from organic viticulture because they tolerate the use of industrially synthesized products such as herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. However, IPM aims to stop the regular, calendar-based spraying of chemicals in a potentially wasteful manner and instead to apply such treatments in a more accurately timed way and targeted to specific threats. IPM is often seen as a first step towards organic or even biodynamic viticulture.