Greenhouse IPM principles, plant quarantine, scouting, monitoring, sanitation, media, and integrated pest-management practices.
Foundations
Scouting and Sampling
Good diagnostics depend on representative observations. A repeatable scouting route, consistent sample locations, magnification, and records are more useful than occasional symptom photos.
What to look for
- Changes from the previous inspection
- Hot spots near doors, vents, propagation areas, irrigation issues, or dense canopy zones
- Upper and lower leaf surfaces
- Roots, stems, flowers, media surface, traps, and surrounding weeds or ornamentals
Important look-alikes
- Sampling only damaged leaves can exaggerate severity
- Sampling only healthy canopy tops can miss early infestations below
How to confirm
- Use the same route and observation points on a schedule
- Record counts or severity consistently
- Photograph the same locations over time
- Retain samples when laboratory testing may be needed
Management principles
- Use trends, not isolated observations
- Increase inspection frequency around confirmed hot spots
- Separate monitoring data from treatment decisions so efficacy can be judged
Prevention
- Train scouts on pest life stages and symptom vocabulary
- Keep hand lenses and traps available
- Maintain clean records linked to plant groups or rooms
Visual study guide
- Scouting route example
- Leaf sampling map
- Trap-count record sheet
- Severity-rating examples
Evidence & further reading
Sources connected to this lesson
These references support specific biological, diagnostic, environmental, or process concepts used in this lesson. They are not a substitute for crop-specific testing or local regulatory guidance.Comprehensive greenhouse IPM framework and pest-management concepts for protected production systems.
Preventive biological control, natural-enemy selection, compatibility, environmental fit, sticky-card monitoring, scouting, and recordkeeping.