Their natural enemies largely determine the population size and dynamic behavior of many plant-eating insects. Any reduction in enemy number can result in an insect outbreak. Applied biological control is thus one strategy for restoring functional biodiversity in many agroecosystems. Predators and Parasitoids addresses the role of natural enemies i

Polyphagous pests are primarily agricultural pests that feed on economically important agricultural and horticultural crops of wide taxonomic diversity across the globe. They cause immense damage across different crop varieties owing to their generalist and voracious food habits. The advent of mono-crop culture in a huge area and the massive use of pesticides post green revolution have massively increased pest outbreaks all over the world. The Middle Eastern countries, African continent and even the Indian subcontinent is increasingly facing resurgences of polyphagus pests. This book compiles an inclusive account of polyphagous pests. It covers locusts, termites, aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, scale insects, gram pod borer, fall armyworm, thrips, mites and rodents. The book discusses mode of spread, enormity of losses caused, mechanism of action, and also means to reduce the crop losses. It brings together a unique perspective for researchers to learn effective pest management practices across all crops. This book is a reference guide to researchers and also useful for academicians and students of entomology.

Bemisia tabaci (Gennedius) has distinguished itself from the more than 1,000 whitefly species in the world by its adaptability, persistence and potential to damage a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops in all six of the world’s inhabited continents. B. tabaci inflicts plant damage through direct feeding, inducement of plant disorders, vectoring of plant viruses and excretion of honeydew. This book collates multiple aspects of the pest ranging from basic to applied science and molecular to landscape levels of investigation. Experts in multiple disciplines provide broad, but detailed summaries and discussion of taxonomy, genetics, anatomy, morphology, physiology, behavior, ecology, symbiotic relationships, virus vector associations and various tactics for integrated management of this pest insect. The book is focused primarily on progress during the last 10-15 years and is directed at workers in the field as well as the informed professional who may not necessarily specialize in whitefly research. The book is unique in providing broad coverage in relatively few chapters by recognized experts that highlight the state-of-the-art in our understanding of this fascinating but troublesome cosmopolitan pest.

The book presents a chronology of events of B. tabaci and geminiviruses, and an overview within the Caribbean and Latin America. The pathosystems involving Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, Cotton leaf curl virus and the cassava mosaic viruses are discussed. Data is presented on amino acid concentrations influencing B. tabaci and thus serves the basis for holidic diets. The essential molecular techniques for B. tabaci identification and classification are included with factors to consider for appropriate applications; an essential working guide for graduate students and researchers in the molecular field. Excellent photos portray symptoms of geminivirus-infecting crops: tomato, cotton, cassava, legumes and cucurbits; an important guide for researchers and growers. The novel insecticides, their mode of action and specificity; emphasize the applications of these within IPM programs.

For more than 20 years insect/plant relations have been a focus for studies in ecology and evolution. The importance of insects as crop pests, and the great potential of insects for the biological control of weeds, have provided further impetus for work in this area. All this attention has resulted in books on various aspects of the topic, and reviews and research papers are abundant. So why write another book? It seems to us that, in the midst of all this activity, behavior has been neglected. We do not mean to suggest that there have not been admirable papers on behavior. The fact that we can write this book attests to that. But we feel that, too often, behavior is relegated to a back seat. In comparison to the major ecological and evolutionary questions, it may seem trivial. Yet the whole process of host-plant selection and host-plant specificity amongst insects depends on behavior, and selection for behavioral differences must be a prime factor in the evolution of host-plant specificity. In writing this book, we hope to draw attention to this central role of behavior and, hopefully, encourage a few students to attack some of the very difficult questions that remain unanswered.