System Management Approach in Crop Production and Protection

Abstract

The complexity of agricultural systems and the need to fulfill multiple objectives in sustainable agro-ecosystems call for interdisciplinary analyzes and input from a wide variety of disciplines in order to better understand the complete agronomic production system. Systems approaches have been developed to support these interdisciplinary studies; their development and use have increased strongly in the past decades. Systems analysis in agronomic systems implies the use of various types of knowledge and model-simulations. It provides concepts and tools for structured analysis, synthesis and design of systems at different scales. Each problem requires its own research approach. Based on the output requirements and data availability, the proper systems approach has to be selected. System management approach is now more relevant and important than at any previous time because of increasing realization of the inter-relatedness between components of fragile ecosystems; as comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of agricultural production systems is seen as a necessary condition for the development of innovative, sustainable systems for the future. This paper presents an overview about system approach and its application in crop production and crop protection; in particular it reports the significance of implementation of system management approach in mitigation of pest problem in crop production.

Keywords; Agriculture production; System approach; Pest; Crop protection