IPM is an approach that integrates all available methods of controlling pests, rather than relying on traditionally-used crop protection measures. IPM is widely recognised as offering many advantages over the conventional pesticide‐based approach, but it is seen as being more complicated and growers need access to experienced IPM advisors in order to make the change to IPM.

Globally, rates of IPM adoption are very low, and at the commencement of the project IPM was not seen as a mainstream control option by South Australian vegetable growers. IPM was not widely practiced, IPM advice and services were not readily available to vegetable growers, and grower and advisor experience and confidence in the approach was very low.

In this project, South Australia was used as a model to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve rapid and widespread adoption of IPM through a participatory approach with local advisors and industry. By demonstrating successful IPM to local advisors and training them to give sound IPM advice, this project aimed to remove barriers to IPM uptake and make IPM the mainstream method of controlling pests in the South Australian vegetable industry.

IPM Technologies delivered a training program based on their more than 20 years’ experience working collaboratively with growers and advisors to develop and implement IPM. Initial theory workshops were delivered for each of the companies that provide pest management advice to vegetable growers in South Australia (this included chemical resellers and a producer of biological control agents). Advisors invited grower clients that were interested in trialing IPM to attend the workshops. Participants were guided to develop practical IPM strategies for crops of interest, and at the conclusion of the workshops growers agreed to work with their advisors to trial IPM, with support from IPM Technologies.

Practical training was then delivered via a combination of field visits and regular phone and email contact. Participating growers and advisers were trained to monitor crops, identify pest and beneficial species, implement cultural controls, and differentiate between pesticide products based on their relative compatibility with their IPM programs. Advisors were supported to make IPM decisions and formulate IPM recommendations week‐by‐week and they progressively gained skills, experience and confidence in these tasks. The level of pest control achieved in IPM demonstration trials was equal to or greater than in conventionally managed crops and growers significantly reduced their insecticide inputs through learning to incorporate biological and cultural controls in their pest management programs.

The success of IPM demonstration trials proved the effectiveness of IPM in a commercial setting and helped the project to succeed in changing the negative perceptions of IPM and in delivering widespread practice change. All key advisors providing pest management recommendations to vegetable growers in South Australia accessed IPM training through this program, and the majority are now promoting and supporting grower clients to implement IPM. All South Australian vegetable growers now have access to confident and experienced local IPM advisors and this has already facilitated widespread IPM adoption across all major production regions and all vegetable crop types produced in the state. By leaving a legacy of trained local IPM advisors the project has made IPM more accessible and achievable, both for the growers that have already adopted IPM and those looking to do so in the future.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the research and development levies listed below and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

• Vegetable Fund