ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF INSECT PESTS- A REVIEW

Abstract

Insects are known as one of the most successful class of animals on earth, being a major player in the ecosystem. The economic importance of insects encompasses both their negative and positive importance. Often found on leaves, flowers and stems of crop plants, insects cause both direct (eat the leaves, fruits or vegetables of crop plants and many times too, do destroy the crops prior to fruiting) and indirect damage (transmit infections; viral, bacterial and fungal) to crops. The amount of damage an insect causes to a crop, which justifies the need to adopt an artificial control mechanism when valuated, is termed economic damage. Thus, most control and protection measures are initiated to stop pests from reaching the point that the least pest population can cause an economic damage, and this is known as the Economic Injury Level (EIL). Besides, the economic importance of pests is also numerous; ranging from direct to indirect benefits. However, since insect pests are in a rivalry loop, directly and indirectly with man in the agri-food system, the adoption of good pest management practices can help reduce the losses substantially. The Integrated Pest Management approach has proven an effective model since it encompasses all the primary pest control methods.