Sustainable IPM approaches for fruit and vegetable entomology in Alabama: Challenges, propositions, and perspectives

In Alabama, this industry represents $161.5 million, and another $103.6 million in valued added agriculture supporting 1,121 jobs; thus, local food production system is very strong in the state. Alabama is a high-valuable niche for potential growth of specialty crops, due to its biogeographical characteristics of heat and humidity. However, this crop advantageous climate also makes insect pests a year-round problem. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) remains a pivotal strategy for producers, driven by the necessity to prevent or combat key pests, as well as prepare for invasive species. The vision for the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable IPM Program is to design, test, and recommend control tactics, encompassing a series of standard procedures based on monitoring and sampling, pest identification, empirically based economic thresholds, and the environment natural interactions. From this point forward, a decision-making process is made for the best strategy which ultimately aims on the mitigation of insecticide use. Such strategies involve evaluating alternative control methods, to unravel and overturn insecticide resistance mechanisms, and to develop model experimentation for predicting real-world control efficacy. This presentation will explore the evolution of entomological challenges in the Southeastern US, focusing on the role of fundamental and applied research in shaping effective and sustainable IPM strategies in Alabama. Emphasis will be placed on integrating historical data with contemporary research advancements to outline future directions, aiming to enhance the long-term sustainability of specialty production in the state.