Insect Pest Management
The vast majority of human societies are based primarily on the ability to cultivate domestic crops for food. Corn, wheat, barley, rice, and the enormous diversity of fruits and vegetables that make up our diet are grown in large monocultures ideally suited to attracting insect herbivores. Modern approaches to pest management include a diversity of strategies (collectively referred to as Integrated Pest Management, or IPM). Strategies include crop rotation, introduction of parasites and predators (biological control), and, as a last resort, massive application of pesticides. Modern approaches now utilize genetically engineered crops (GMOs) which carry genes for particular insect toxins, making the plants resistant to insects. But are these genetically modified crops safe for humans? We will examine these questions in this lecture on insect pest management.
Powerpoint: Download IPM Lecture (John Sanderson)
PDF: Download IPM Lecture handout
Powerpoint: Download Insect Conservation Lecture (John Losey)