3 Quick Tips: Managing Pesticide Resistance

Pesticide resistance can occur with repetitive use of the same chemicals. A resistance management plan is critical to avoiding pesticide resistance and to sustaining the use of limited available products. Here are some tips to consider when developing a resistance management plan.

Quick Tip 1
Minimize pesticide use. Reduce pesticide use by scouting crops regularly and applying pesticides only when pests are present at threshold levels, targeting the most susceptible life stages. Incorporate non-chemical strategies such as installing exclusion screening, altering the environment to control foliar pathogens and incorporating biological controls.


Quick Tip 2
Know chemical mode of action. Resistance management strategies include rotating pesticides with the same mode of action or group number. It is therefore important to know the mode of action for the active ingredient of each pesticide that you use. The mode of action can be found on the pesticide label and on the Useful Websites listed at the end of this article.

The mode of action is the mechanism by which the pesticide kills the pest and is different than the chemical class. Rotation schedules should not be based only on the chemical class because these pesticides may have the same mode of action. For example, organophosphates and carbamates, despite being different chemical classes have identical modes of action (interfering with the nervous system of the target insect).

Have a question? You can write Julie at jpnewman@ucdavis.edu.