Insect Pests of Glasshouse Crops

Assessment of insecticide resistance in five insect pests attacking field and vegetable crops in Nicaragua.

Field populations of Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), Plutella xylostella (L.), Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) and Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) were tested for resistance to several insecticides commonly used in Nicariagua. Assays were conducted to estimate the LD50s or LC50s and the corresponding resistance ratios. A diagnostic concentration was used to discriminate between s...

Influence of cover crops on insect pests and predators in conservation tillage cotton.

In fall 2000, an on-farm sustainable agricultural research project was established for cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in Tift County, Georgia. The objective of our 2-yr research project was to determine the impact of several cover crops on pest and predator insects in cotton. The five cover crop treatments included 1) cereal rye, Secale cereale L., a standard grass cover crop; 2) crimson clover...

Transgenic Vegetable Crops for Managing Insect Pests and Fungal and Viral Diseases

Insect defence: its impact on microbial control of insect pests

Insects are the earliest and most diverse taxon of animals accounting for more species than all other animals put together because of their high reproductive potential and varied niche. Though cellular reactions like phagocytosis, nodulation and encapsulation and humoral reaction through secretion of antibacterial proteins are known for fungus and bacterial invaders, little is known about insec...

Alternatives to Chemical Control of Insect Pests

In 2011, practitioners and advocates of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) find themselves addressing agricultural, societal, and political pressures worldwide resulting from human population growth. This growth brings simultaneous burdens of sustaining a steady food supply; these include preventing losses from pests, dealing with increased human global travel, which in turn intensifies opportuni...