Meet the editors

Dr. R. P. Soundararajan, Associate Professor in Horticultural College and Research Institute for Women of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India, has 15 years of experience in research and teaching in Agricultural Entomology. He is specialized in host plant resistance and insect pest management. He completed his Ph.D. on quantitative genetics in host plant resistance of rice crop against brown planthopper. He has

published four books, 20 book chapters, and 45 research papers. He has guided 4 postgraduate research students. He is a life member of various academic bodies and active review committee member in several peer-reviewed academic journals.

Dr. Narayanasamy Chitra, Associate Professor & Curator (TNAU Insect Museum) at Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, has 15 years of experience in research and teaching in Agricultural Entomology. She is specialized in insect taxonomy and biodiversity. She was involved in the establishment of the TNAU Insect Museum. She has published two books and 30 research pa-

pers. She has obtained funded research projects related to insect taxonomy from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. She is an editorial committee member in two research journals.

Contents

**Section 1**

**Section 2**

**Section 3**

Lepidopter Parasitoidea

in *Musca domestica*

*by Muhammad Imran*

*by Shakti Singh Bhati*

and Future Prospects

*and Orobiyi Azize*

*and Alexandre Dansi*

**Preface III**

Biological Control **1**

**Chapter 1 3**

Insecticides **17**

**Chapter 2 19**

**Chapter 3 31**

Integrated Pest Management Strategies **41**

**Chapter 4 43**

**Chapter 5 55**

**Chapter 6 71**

*by Hassan-Ali Vahedi, Jabbar Valipour and Abbas Ali Zamani*

Defence against Oxidative Stress and Insecticides

Neonicotinoid Insecticides: A Threat to Pollinators

Management of *Spodoptera litura* (Fab.) in Green Gram (*Vigna radiata* L.) through Entomo-Pathogenic Nematode

Integrated Pest Management of the Yam Chip Beetle *Dinoderus porcellus* Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae): Current Status

Influence of Temperature and Storage Systems on Post-Harvest Losses of Maize Varieties Cultivated at Alibori in Northern Benin *by Corinne M. Anagonou, Roland Dossou, Anicet G. Dassou* 

*by Loko Yêyinou Laura Estelle, Toffa Dèca Mondoukpè Joelle* 

*by Tan Yong Hao, Siti Nasuha Hamzah and Zazali Alias*

## Contents

*and Alexandre Dansi*


Preface

Insects are the most speciose organism on earth. Insects are adapted to all environments and ecosystems. Insects are one of the major components in the functioning of ecosystems. However, a handful of them pose serious threats to agriculture as pests of crops. In many crops, insects are the major constraint in achieving higher yields, thereby, affecting the productivity of crops. Further, a few species of insects damage the harvested produce in stores. Global estimates reflect a loss of 9.5 billion US\$ due to various biological stresses to crop plants of which insect pest damage accounts for 10.8% loss. Apart from causing direct damage to crops, insects also act as vectors of plant diseases, which further decreases crop yields. Apart from being pests, there is a wealth of insects that act as predators, parasitoids, and scavengers. Hence, the knowledge on the role of insects in agro-ecosystems is essential in sustainable crop production systems.

Various management tactics have been deployed to decrease the impact of insects in agriculture since time immemorial. Every time a new technique is deployed, insects have their own techniques to oust the management technique introduced. The most common control measure is the use of chemical insecticides. The impact of the insect pests in field and storage needs to be managed through innovation and sustainable techniques. Integrated pest management (IPM) is popular in combining all available techniques in one capsule to avoid yield losses due to insect damage. IPM techniques are preferred as it provide ways to maintain the environment in balance and provide livelihood for all organisms without reduction in yields. The most striking aspect of IPM is avoidance or minimum use of synthetic chemical compounds. Insecticide application is the last option in any cropping system under this approach. The risk of the 3 R's (development of resistance to insecticides, insect resurgence, and residues) is due to indiscriminate use of pesticides. In addition, there can also be an outbreak of secondary insect pests and destruction of natural enemies.

In the wake of climate change and invasive insects, it is the need of the hour to bring forth insect management techniques based on the basic understanding of how insects would respond to the introduced management techniques. Management through biological control agents, botanical pesticides, natural control, alternate cropping systems, and resistant varieties are a few of the important strategies

This book deals with different aspects of IPM. Lepidopteran insects are major pests of field and horticultural crop plants. Parasitoids play a major role in controlling lepidopteran insects. An overview of the Hymenopteran parasitoids associated with lepidopteran pests is provided. Entomopathogens to manage *Spodoptera litura* (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera), a polyphagous pest attacking several crops, is detailed. IPM for stored product pests attacking processed yam and maize storage is also covered in the book and different storage structures have been suggested. The effect of the newer insecticide group, neonicotinoids, and its impact on pollinators is explained. The mechanisms of insecticide resistance due to oxidative stress on insects are also discussed. We hope the contents of the book will be useful to the

scientific community to widen their understanding of IPM.

followed in IPM.
