Factors Influencing Use of Integrated Pest Management in Greenhouses of Jiroft, Kerman, Iran

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is one of the important components to reduce the use of pesticides and their risk to farmers. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing IPM usage to reduce pesticide use by greenhouse farmers based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). A total of 300 farmers from Jiroft, Kerman Province, Iran, participated in this cross-sectional study using multi-stage sampling, in 2021. The data collection tool was a questionnaire including demographic information, status of the use of IPM, and HAPA constructs regarding IPM (risk perception, outcome expectancies, task self-efficacy, action planning, coping planning, recovery self-efficacy, and maintenance self-efficacy), of which psychometric properties were examined and approved. Kruskal-Wallis test and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were used to analyze the data. There was a significant correlation between action planning (r= 0.29), coping planning (r= 0.33), maintenance self-efficacy (r= 0.23), and recovery self-efficacy (r= 0.23) with IPM. SEM revealed a direct and significant relationship between task self-efficacy, maintenance self-efficacy, coping planning, and recovery self-efficacy with IPM. HAPA is suggested to be used as a framework for interventions aiming at increasing application of IPM and lower pesticide use in agriculture.