A Review of Ecological Engineering in Pest Management: A Multidisciplinary and Sustainable Approach
Pavan Kumar *
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
Deepak Kumar
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
Preeti Sharma
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
Monika
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
Vandana
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
Priyanka
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
Arvind
Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar 125004, Haryana, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The agricultural revolution has led to ecosystem instability and a lack of natural pest management. Ecological engineering aims to maintain a balanced agroecosystem by strategically manipulating crops and habitats to enhance the survival of natural enemies while limiting pest populations. Push-pull strategies are adopted in ecological engineering by using semiochemicals and trapping crops. Natural enemies are conserved by providing alternate foods through chocolate-box ecology and beetle-bank feeding and pest movement has been arrested through windbreaks and trenches.
Keywords: Photosynthetic food, pathogens, food production, pest resurgence, pest management