Ask AI: Explain what is meant by integrated plant disease management

Integrated plant disease management (IPDM) is a holistic approach to managing plant diseases that combines various methods and techniques to reduce damage caused by pathogens. It involves making use of multiple control strategies to reduce disease incidence, severity, and spread. IPDM combines various components including cultural, biological, and chemical management strategies. For instance, it involves proper irrigation, cultural practices to control the pathogen's environment, resistant cultivars, biological controls like beneficial biological agents that suppress the disease, and chemical controls like pesticides. By using an integrated approach, IPDM provides long-term solutions to plant diseases by reducing reliance on any one method, which helps minimize the risk of developing pesticide resistance and other negative impacts associated with the use of single control methods. Ultimately, IPDM enables farmers to effectively control plant diseases while conserving natural resources and ensuring crop safety.