Book Description

This book presents the pest management by using predatory insects. It elucidates the characteristics features of predatory insects and their utility value in the field of Biological control and integrates them in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). During the last five to six decades voluminous scientific work on various aspects of predatory insects has been done at different Research Institutions and Universities in India. Since the scientific literature lies scattered in various journals, and not yet has been published in book form, it is considered desirable and essential to provide a concise account in a book form. The book entitled Indian Insect Predators in Biological Control is the first of its kind in our country. It has the following distinguished features: (1) Enlighted the distribution and diversity of insect predators in various agroecosystem. (2) Provide updated coverage of ethology, biology and life table parameters of predators. (3) Di and tri tropic interaction of crop-pest-predators. (4) Biological control potential of predators in laboratory, pots, controlled field cage and natural field conditions are elaborated. (5) Biosefty of synthetic and biopesticides are discussed. (6) Mass production with natural, faciated and oligidic diets are explained. (7) Text is illustrated with photographs, line drawings, tables and graphs to make the material more interesting to the students. (8) This book is intended as a text for use in teaching the concept of biological control to undergraduate and post graduate students of biology and agriculture. (9) This also immensely helps the researchers who are engaged in pest management, crop production and protection by using various natural predators. Contents Chapter 1: Insect Predators and Pest Control by K Sahayaraj; Chapter 2: Behavioral and Ecological Features of Mantids that Confer as Prospective Biocontrol Agents by M C Muralirangan, K P Sanjayan & N Senthikumar; Chapter 3: Dragonflies and Damselflies in Biological Control by F K Kakkassery; Chapter 4: Feeding Adaptations and Semiochemical Perception in Predatory Heteroptera by Pathipati Usha Rani; Chapter 5: Anthocorid Predators and their Biocontrol Potential by M Nasser & U C Abdurahiman; Chapter 6: How Efficient are Geocorid Bugs (Heteroptera: Insecta) as Crop Pest Managers? by Ananda Mukhopadhyay & Soma Das; Chapter 7: Reduviids in Biological Control by K Sahayaraj; Chapter 8: Biology and Behaviours of Coccinellid Beetles by T V Sathe; Chapter 9: Mass Production and Biological Control Potential of Coccinellids in India by Jagmohan Singh & K S Brar; Chapter 10: Syrphids: As an Important Predators of Aphids in India by T V Sathe & Sangit Visherad; Chapter 11: Indian Insect Predators on Insect Pests of Rice by K S Behera & A Prakash; Chapter 12: Role of Predators in the Control of Horticultural Crop Pests of India by M Mani & A Krishnamoorthy.