Through 'Green Revolution' in late 1960s India achieved self-sufficiency in food production
but still the country has not achieved self-sufficiency in production of horticultural crops.
Most of the growth in food production during the green revolution period is attributed to the
use of higher levels of fertilizers and pesticides which are continuing to destroy stable
traditional ecosystems. The challenge before the crop protection scientist is to increase
yields from the existing land without harming the environment and resource base. This can be
achieved by adopting eco-friendly Biointensive Integrated Pest Management (BIPM) strategy. BIPM
incorporates ecological and economic factors into agricultural system design and decision
making and addresses public concerns about environmental quality and food safety. The benefits
of implementing BIPM can include reduced chemical input costs reduced on-farm and off-farm
environmental impacts and more effective and sustainable pest management. An ecology-based IPM
has the potential of decreasing inputs of fuel machinery and synthetic chemicals-all of which
are energy intensive and increasingly costly in terms of financial and environmental impact.
Such reductions will benefit the grower and society. The present book deals with the most
recent biointensive integrated approaches for pest management utilizing components such as
bioagents [predators parasitoids and pathogens (bacteria fungi viruses)] botanicals
(biofumigation oil cakes FYM compost crop residues green manuring and other organic
amendments) arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi physical methods (hot water treatment of planting
material soil solarization) cultural methods (crop rotation summer ploughing fallowing
intercropping pruning mulching spacing planting date trap cropping etc.) biorational
chemicals (pheromones) and resistant cultivars. This book can serve as a useful reference to
policy makers research and extension workers practicing farmers and students. The material
can also be used for teaching post-graduate courses.
