Biological control of the insect pests has long been acknowledged as an important pest management component and recognized as well adequate in many cases to abolish the requirement of additional treatment. The biocontrol agents have been productively manipulated with diversity of augmentation and conservation. Production of natural enemies in an efficient and economical way is a pre-requisite for biological control programme. Substantial scientific advances have been made in mass rearing of natural enemies for augmentative population. Nuclear techniques have been used extensively in various biological control programmes. Irradiation plays significant role in the production of natural enemies. It has been reported that the parasitization was increased in the progeny of irradiated hosts. The purpose of this research was to explore the possibilities of managing sugarcane stem borer, C. infuscatellus through biological control strategies and nuclear techniques to enhance the production and field application of its natural enemies.

Sugarcane is an important industrial crop of India. Perhaps this could be the largest agroprocessing industry in India. This industry is mainly situated in rural India and has changed the face of rural India to a great extent in a real sense. The sugarcane is grown in India wherever irrigation facility is available. The sugarcane was previously used for Gur making which was the major form of consumption in day to day use for tea, sweets etc. Since the inception of sugar mills in 1930, sugar could be made popular in place of gur since it has a better shelflife and easiness in handling while making use. This crop was grown on area of 1176000 hac in 1930 which has gone up to 5114000 hac in 2018. There are about 525 sugar mills as on 2017–18 as against 29 in 1930–31 with average crushing capacity 644 t/day in 1940–41 to 4439 t/day in 2017–18 with sugar production 0.934 million tons in1940–41 to 32.328 million tons in 2017–18 and recovery 8.96 in 1930–31 to 10.73 in 2017–18 and molasses production 3336000 tons in 1935–36 to 13980000 tons in 2017–18.

Pesticides lead serious problems like pollutions, health hazards, pest resistance, secondary pest outbreak, etc. Therefore, biological control is widely accepted at global scenario as an effective alternative for pesticidal use and as eco-friendly pest control method. Therefore, newer and recent trends of biological insect pest control are given in this book. The book contains 16 chapters under which biocontrol agents like braconids, Ichneumonids, tachinids, chalcids, ladybird beetles, carabids, lace wings, grasshoppers, hemipterans, weevils and vertebrates such as picies, amphibians and birds are discussed with respect to their diversity and their role in pest management. Emphasis is given on biological control of mosquitoes, mulberry and sugarcane pests and some commonly occurring insect pests. Thus, the book is extremely useful for farmers, students, teachers, scientists and industrialists.

This book systematically presents 40 pests, 7 natural pest enemies, and 20 diseases and weeds commonly encountered in sugarcane production, combining clear colour photos with detailed scientific descriptions. It covers a range of related topics, including morphological identification, habits and frequency of occurrence, prevention and control measures, symptom identification, characteristics of infections and epidemics, parasitic (predator) characteristics, ways of utilising natural pest enemies, main species and distribution, fluctuation in the field, and chemical control of weeds. With novel content presented in simple, straightforward language, the book provides a valuable reference guide for scientific researchers, educators and industrial practitioners, as well as students and advisers at agricultural universities.

Background and achievements of biological control; Implementation of biological control; Broad assessment of biological control potential; Biological control in cereals, root crops, grain legumes, oil seeds, sugarcane, coffee, tea, cocoa, coconut, oil palm, rubber, tobacco, cotton, potato, banana, citrus, pineapple, apple, date, nuts, forage, pastures; Major pest problems affecting several crops; Weeds.

The protection of agricultural crops, forest, and man and his domestic animals from annoyance and damage by various kinds of pests remains a chronic problem. As we endeavor to improve pro duction processes and to develop more effective and acceptable tactics for achieving this protection, we must give high priority to all potentially useful techniques for the control and management of insects. Pest control is recognized as an acceptable and necessary part of modern agriculture. Methods employed vary greatly and tend to reflect compromises involving 3 determining factors: technological capability, economic feasibility, and social acceptability. How ever, these factors are also subject to change with time since each involves value judgments that are based on available information, cost, benefit considerations, the seriousness of the pest problem, and the political climate. Whatever method is chosen, energy resources continue to dwindle under the impact of increasing popu lation, and it is inevitable that greater reliance must be placed upon renewable resources in pest management. One alternative is the use of a pest management method that uses the energy of the pest's own biomass to fuel a self-perpetuating control system. The use of biological control agents for the control of pests has long been an integral part of the pest management strategy in crop production and forestry and in the protection of man and animals. The importance and unique advantages of the method are well recognized; numerous treatises deal with accomplishments and methodologies.

Aphids are among the major global pest groups, causing serious economic damage to many food and commodity crops in most parts of the world. This revision and update of the well-received first edition published ten years ago reflects the expansion of research in genomics, endosymbionts and semiochemicals, as well as the shift from control of aphids with insecticides to a more integrated approach imposed by increasing resistance in the aphids and government restrictions on pesticides. The book remains a comprehensive and up-to-date reference work on the biology of aphids, the various methods of controlling them and the progress of integrated pest management as illustrated by ten case histories.