Field Crop Arthropod Pests of Economic Importance presents detailed descriptions of the biology and ecology of important arthropod pest of selected global field crops. Standard management options for insect pest control on crops include biological, non-chemical, and chemical approaches. However, because agricultural crops face a wide range of insect pests throughout the year, it can prove difficult to find a simple solution to insect pest control in many, if not most, cropping systems. A whole-farm or integrated pest management approach combines cultural, natural, and chemical controls to maintain insect pest populations below levels that cause economic damage to the crop. This practice requires accurate species identification and thorough knowledge of the biology and ecology of the target organism. Integration and effective use of various control components is often enhanced when the target organism is correctly identified, and its biology and ecology are known. This book provides a key resource toward that identification and understanding. Students and professionals in agronomy, insect detection and survey, and economic entomology will find the book a valuable learning aid and resource tool. Includes insect synonyms, common names, and geographic distribution Provides information on natural enemies Is thoroughly referenced for future research

Most insect parasitoids are related to two insect orders, Diptera and Hymenoptera, some having a specific host while others have a vast host range. As such, the opening chapter of Parasitoids: Biology, Behavior and Ecology discusses the influence of host preference and host specificity in biological control programs and their role in different biological control methods.The behavioral responses of parasitoids can determine the efficiency of a parasitoid species to control host pests. The functional response is one of the most important behavioral responses. The authors show that type II functional response is more common than the other types (I, III, IV and V) of functional response for most parasitoid species. In some research, type III functional response was also reported for parasitoids.The closing study hypothesized that conditioned parasitoids will parasitize more target hosts compared with individuals without prior conditioning. In conditioning experiments, females of the wasp Trichogramma cacoeciae, a generalist egg parasitoid, oviposited in Lobesia botrana eggs while exposed to L. botrana's synthetic sex pheromone. Contrary to the hypothesis, this treatment failed to increase the parasitism rate in a subsequent exposure to the conditioned olfactory cue.

Insect Pests of Millets: Systematics, Bionomics, and Management focuses on protecting the cultivated cereals that many worldwide populations depend on for food across the semi-arid tropics of the world. Providing coverage of all the major cultivated millets, including sorghum, pearlmillet, finger millet, barnyard millet, prosomillet, little millet, kodomillet, and foxtail millet, this comprehensive book on insect pests is the first of its kind that explores systematics, bionomics, distribution, damage, host range, biology, monitoring techniques, and management options, all accompanied by useful illustrations and color plates. By exploring the novel aspects of Insect-plant relationships, including host signaling orientation, host specialization, pest – host evolutionary relationship, and biogeography of insects and host plants, the book presents the latest ecologically sound and innovative techniques in insect pest management from a general overview of pest management to new biotechnological interventions. Includes the most comprehensive and relevant aspects of insect systematics, including synonyms, nomenclatural history, and identification characters to quickly guide readers to desired information Addresses aspects of insect-plant relationships, including host signaling and orientation, host specialization, pest – host evolutionary relationship, and biogeography of insects and host plant Presents the latest research findings related to the ecological, behavioral, and physiological aspects of millet pests

Assisting anyone in need of an easy-to-use yet comprehensive survey of all pests likely to be encountered in North America, this handbook provides thorough identification guides, descriptions of pest life history, and pest management recommendations. Including hundreds of illustrations, this guide is cross-referenced to scientific literature, and includes color plates for ease of insect identification.