FROM INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) TO INTEGRATED CROP MANAGEMENT (ICM): PRESENT SITUATION AND PERSPECTIVES

Integrated Crop Management (ICM) is an evolution of the concept involving the whole cultivation by combining at best all the factors of production.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the development of IPM and of ICM in the Countries where processing tomato is mostly grown, the different approaches, problems and future prospects connected with it.

The factors of production (elements of fertilization, means of crop protection, …) involved are separately analysed to better understand their role in the whole integrated system. It has to be noted that their importance can vary a lot in the different environments and it is not easy to establish general rules. Nevertheless the consumer must be guaranteed all over the world, because of market globalization.

Post-harvest and processing must be taken into consideration too, to keep a raw material as good as possible.

Once the aims and the applicable techniques have been determined, rules should be established and checks should be foreseen. Examples are given.

Supports to help the grower reach these aims are of main importance. Their costs and benefits must be well balanced, at least in the future. Research has still to be considered fundamental, but extension service and software supports can play an important role as well.

The constraints of rules and the contribution by the government to support them are important to create a favourable background, but they could be not insufficient in case they did not allow a satisfactory earning. Certification and suitable brands represent a possible answer to a commercial exploitation.

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