A Systems Approach to the Integrated Management of a Complex of Olive Pests 1

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Abstract
A systematic method for analyzing the management of a complex of olive pests is presented. The pest management methods considered include cultural and biological as well as chemical means of controlling 4 major pests of olives in California. Several of these methods simultaneously suppress more than one pest. Because the method of analysis presented focuses on choice of pest control methods rather than on timing, it is mathematically simpler and has fewer data requirements than other modeling approaches such as dynamic simulation models. The results indicate that the most cost-effective way of controlling olive pests is to depend upon biological control of olive parlatoria scale and frequent pruning to suppress black scale and olive knot. Pesticide applications will be reduced but not eliminated by reliance on biological and cultural control methods.