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Task 5: Manage Pests and Diseases - Project Template

Part of: Plan Section (Vision → Plan → Reality)
Type: Template/Playbook for Small Plot Restoration
Status: Template - Customize for Your Project

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Purpose​

Healthy soil is the foundation of pest and disease resistance. Rather than treating symptoms with external inputs, effective soil-based pest and disease management focuses on building robust soil ecosystems that naturally suppress problems while supporting beneficial organisms.

This is a template. Customize pest management strategies, monitoring methods, and control approaches based on your specific site, species, and pest/disease challenges.

🎯 Non-Negotiables (Science Consensus)​

These must be followed - they are based on scientific consensus:

  1. Soil Health Foundation: Healthy soil is the foundation of pest and disease resistance. Unhealthy soil promotes problems.

  2. Prevention First: Pest and disease management must focus on prevention. Prevention is more effective than treatment.

  3. Integrated Approach: Pest management must use integrated approaches. Single-method approaches are less effective.

  4. Biological Controls Preferred: Biological controls should be preferred over chemical controls. Chemical controls harm soil biology.

  5. Monitoring Required: Pests and diseases must be monitored. Early detection allows effective response.

🔀 Options & Pathways​

Pathway A: Comprehensive IPM Program​

When to use: Larger projects, complex pest issues, when thoroughness is critical, have budget

Approach:

  • Professional IPM specialist
  • Comprehensive monitoring program
  • Multiple control strategies
  • Professional implementation
  • Higher cost but thorough

Pros:

  • Most thorough and effective
  • Professional validation
  • Comprehensive approach
  • Suitable for complex issues

Cons:

  • Higher cost (€1,000-5,000+)
  • Requires professional expertise
  • Ongoing expense

Pathway B: Community Science IPM​

When to use: Community engagement focus, limited budget, want to involve community, educational value

Approach:

  • Train community members in IPM
  • Community monitoring
  • Expert consultation as needed
  • Educational value
  • Lower cost

Pros:

  • Lower cost (€200-1,000)
  • Community engagement
  • Educational value
  • Accessible

Cons:

  • May need training
  • Requires coordination
  • Variable quality
  • May need expert support

Pathway C: Simple Prevention Focus​

When to use: Limited budget, straightforward needs, want simple approach, minimal intervention preferred

Approach:

  • Focus on soil health and prevention
  • Basic monitoring
  • Simple control methods
  • Minimal intervention
  • Lowest cost

Pros:

  • Lowest cost (€50-300)
  • Simple and direct
  • Accessible
  • Practical

Cons:

  • Less comprehensive
  • May miss issues
  • Less intensive

Pathway D: Hybrid Approach​

When to use: Most projects - balance of professional and community involvement

Approach:

  • Professional guidance on priorities
  • Community members conduct monitoring
  • Expert consultation for problems
  • Mix of professional and community methods

Pros:

  • Good balance
  • Cost-effective
  • Flexible
  • Engages community

Cons:

  • Requires coordination
  • May need ongoing consultation

📋 Implementation Steps​

Step 1: Understand Soil Health as Disease Prevention​

The soil-plant-pest connection:

  • Healthy soil = healthy plants = natural pest resistance
  • Diverse soil biology outcompetes pathogens
  • Balanced nutrients prevent plant stress that attracts pests
  • Good soil structure supports strong root systems
  • Active soil food web creates hostile environment for many pests

Soil health foundations:

  • Adequate organic matter (3-10% depending on ecosystem)
  • Balanced nutrients (not excess or deficiency)
  • Neutral to slightly acidic pH (6.0-7.5 for most species)
  • Good structure and drainage
  • Diverse microbial communities
  • Active mycorrhizal fungal networks

Soil-dwelling pests:

  • Root-feeding nematodes
  • Grubs
  • Cutworms
  • Wireworms
  • Root maggots
  • Slugs and snails

Soil-borne diseases:

  • Damping off
  • Root rots
  • Verticillium and fusarium wilts
  • Club root
  • White mold
  • Bacterial wilts

Signs and symptoms:

  • Stunted growth
  • Yellowing
  • Wilting despite water
  • Root damage
  • Seedling death
  • Reduced vigor

Step 3: Implement Preventive Practices​

Cultural practices:

  • Crop rotation → Rotate Crops
  • Sanitation (remove infected material)
  • Proper timing (plant when conditions favor plants, not pests)
  • Appropriate spacing (good air circulation)
  • Water management (avoid overwatering)
  • Clean tools and equipment

Soil amendments for disease suppression:

  • Compost (suppressive composts)
  • Compost tea
  • Vermicompost
  • Biochar
  • Mycorrhizal inoculants

Resistant species:

  • Research disease resistance
  • Use native plants (often more resistant)
  • Genetic diversity (don't plant all same variety)

Physical barriers:

  • Mulch (reduces splash, creates barrier)
  • Row covers
  • Copper tape (for slugs)
  • Collars for seedlings

Step 4: Monitor Regularly​

Monitoring schedule:

  • Weekly scouting walks
  • Check for signs and symptoms
  • Document with photos and notes
  • Track patterns and spread
  • Identify accurately before acting

What to monitor:

  • Plant health and vigor
  • Pest presence and damage
  • Disease symptoms
  • Beneficial organism presence
  • Environmental conditions

Step 5: Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM)​

Decision hierarchy:

  1. Tolerance: Accept minor damage (not all pests need control)
  2. Cultural controls: First choice (prevention, rotation, etc.)
  3. Biological controls: Second choice (beneficial organisms)
  4. Physical/mechanical controls: Third choice (hand-picking, barriers)
  5. Low-impact pesticides: Last resort (only when necessary)

IPM Principles:

  • Prevention first
  • Monitor and identify
  • Use multiple strategies
  • Target specific problems
  • Minimize harm to beneficials
  • Evaluate effectiveness

Step 6: Implement Biological Controls​

Beneficial organisms:

  • Beneficial nematodes for soil pests
  • Predatory insects and mites
  • Microbial pesticides (Bt, beneficial fungi)
  • Compost tea applications
  • Create habitat for beneficials

Supporting beneficials:

  • Provide diverse habitat
  • Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides
  • Plant diverse species
  • Maintain healthy soil
  • Provide water sources

Step 7: Address Specific Problems​

Nematodes:

  • Marigolds (suppressive)
  • Brassica cover crops
  • Compost applications
  • Beneficial nematodes

Grubs:

  • Beneficial nematodes
  • Milky spore (for Japanese beetle grubs)
  • Healthy soil (supports natural controls)

Fungal diseases:

  • Improve drainage
  • Compost tea
  • Biological fungicides
  • Remove infected material

Slugs:

  • Hand-picking
  • Iron phosphate (organic)
  • Copper barriers
  • Diatomaceous earth

Bacterial diseases:

  • Remove infected plants
  • Improve air circulation
  • Avoid overhead watering
  • Sanitize tools

💡 Customization Notes​

When using this template for your project:

  1. Pest/Disease Context: Adapt strategies to your specific pest and disease challenges

  2. Species: Some species are more resistant than others - choose wisely

  3. Site Conditions: Adjust management based on your site (soil, climate, etc.)

  4. Budget: Choose management pathway based on available resources

  5. Timeline: Plan for ongoing management - pests and diseases are ongoing challenges

  6. Local Knowledge: Engage local experts who know common pests and diseases in your area

Remember: This is a template. Your actual project will have specific pest/disease challenges, site conditions, and resource constraints that make it unique.

Next Steps​

Once pest and disease management is established: → Task 6: Monitor Soil Health

Remember: Healthy soil is the foundation of pest and disease resistance. Build soil health first, then address specific problems as needed.

This is a template. Customize it for your project.