Evaluating an insect pest management system in an irrigated rice environment

The efficiency and profitability of an integrated pest management system consisting of a phytosanitary survey and threshold interventions (based on levels of insect damage) was tested at the Vallee du Kou irrigated rice scheme in Burkina Faso, for two consecutive crop seasons in 1987. There was a considerable advantage in cost, number of insecticidal applications and yield of a threshold intervention-based system over arbitrary or routine insecticidal application methods. The proposed method is considered to be environmentally friendly.