Ever since man first cultivated plants and grew
crops, insects, mites and other creatures have risen to
prominence as pests, but it is only throughout the last
two centuries that we have come to study them in any
detail. Whereas in the past, emphasis has mainly been
placed on ways to protect cultivated plants from attack
or damage, nowadays our over-reliance on pesticides has
been replaced by a far more enlightened approach to
plant protection. Though chemical pesticides still have
a role to play, environmental aspects and non-chemical
means of pest control have become equally, if not more,
important. This requires a greater appreciation of
ecosystems, coupled with a greater understanding of
individual pests, including their habits and their role
in the environment. Drawing on a lifetime of experience,
David V. Alford provides a fascinating account of the
natural history of the insects and mites that inhabit
our farms and gardens, and feed on our cultivated
plants. He shows how and why the different operations of
cultivation affect their world, and why plant pests
should not be viewed as different from other
wildlife.Coverage of pests includes aliens, and although
emphasis is placed mainly on arable and horticultural
field crops, pests of protected crops - both edible and
non-edible - are also included. Details of pest life
cycles, status, distribution and the damage they cause
are given, and natural enemies of pests are examined.
The author also explores the impact of pesticides,
climate change and evolving crop management
practices. |
|