Successes and failures in plant-insect interactions: Is it possible to stay one step ahead of the insects?

Gatehouse, A; Ferry, N

Abstract

Home Arthropod-Plant Interactions Chapter
Successes and Failures in Plant-Insect Interactions: Is it Possible to Stay One Step Ahead of the Insects?
Angharad Gatehouse & Natalie Ferry
Chapter
First Online: 01 January 2012
1567 Accesses

Part of the Progress in Biological Control book series (PIBC,volume 14)

Abstract
Arthropods are the most widespread and diverse group of animals, with an estimated four to six million species worldwide (Novotny et al. 2002). Whilst only a small percentage of arthropods are classified as phytophagous pests they cause major devastation of crops, destroying around 14% of the world annual crop production, contributing to 20% of losses of stored grains and causing around US$100 billion of damage each year (Nicholson 2007). Thus herbivorous insects and mites are a major threat to food production for livestock and human consumption. Larval forms of lepidopterans are considered the most destructive insects, with about 40% of all insecticides directed against heliothine species (Brooks and Hines 1999), although, many species within the Orders Acrina, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera and Thysanoptera are also considered agricultural pests with significant economic impact. Insect pests may cause direct damage by feeding on crop plants in the field or infesting stored products, so competing with humans for plants as a food resource. Some cause indirect damage, especially the sap feeding insects by transmitting viral diseases or secondary microbial infections of crop plants (Ferry and Gatehouse 2010).

Citation

Gatehouse, A., & Ferry, N. (2012). Successes and failures in plant-insect interactions: Is it possible to stay one step ahead of the insects?. . Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3873-7_4

• Online Publication Date: Jan 1, 2012
• Publication Date: 2012
• Deposit Date: Jul 28, 2023
• Publisher: Springer
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3873-7_4