Invasive species have a critical and growing effect upon natural areas. They can modify, degrade, or destroy wildland ecosystem structure and function, and reduce native biodiversity. Landscape-level solutions are needed to address these problems. Conservation biologists seek to limit such damage and restore ecosystems using a variety of approaches. One such approach is biological control: the deliberate importation and establishment of specialized natural enemies, which can address invasi...

Although the avocado has been cultivated and consumed for more than 9000 years in its native Latin America, world production and trade have only developed over the past few decades, and now exceed 3.5 million tonnes. The avocado is now widely traded between warmer and colder countries as a result of the global community becoming increasingly aware of its versatility and nutritional value. For the past decade, the global avocado industry has been going through a period of rapid technologica...

Invasive arthropods cause significant damage in agricultural crops and natural environments across the globe. Potentially threatened regions need to be prepared to prevent new pests from becoming established. Therefore, information on pest identity, host range, geographical distribution, biology, tools for detection and identification are all essential to researchers and regulatory personnel. This book focuses on the most recent invasive pests of agricultural crops in temperate subtropical...

The avocado industry is evolving rapidly. Avocado production has almost doubled recently, with significant expansion in areas planted, especially in Latin America, but also in Africa and Asia. Moreover, the global demand for avocado keeps on growing. The Avocado, 3rd edition is a unique and comprehensive source of information for avocado researchers, and covers everything from the history and distribution, novel agronomic practices, ecological and climatic requirements, and emerging diseas...

Particular focus on advances in understanding insect species and landscape ecology, which provide the foundations for effective IPMCovers latest research on classical, conservation and augmentative biological controlReviews key developments in use of entomopathogenic fungi, viruses and nematodes

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management. It uses natural predators, pest-resistant plants, and other methods to preserve a healthy environment in an effort to decrease reliance on harmful pesticides. Featuring forty chapters written by leading experts, this textbook covers a broad and comprehensive range of topics in integrated pest management, focused primarily on theory and concepts. It is complemented by two award winnin...

This open-access textbook provides a comprehensive, up-to-date guide for students and practitioners wishing to access in a single volume the key disciplines and principles of wheat breeding. Wheat is a cornerstone of food security: it is the most widely grown of any crop and provides 20% of all human calories and protein. The authorship of this book includes world class researchers and breeders whose expertise spans cutting-edge academic science all the way to impacts in farmers’ fields. T...

Climate change represents an unprecedented challenge to the world's biosphere and to the global community. It also represents a unique challenge for plant health. Human activities and increased market globalization, coupled with rising temperatures, has led to a situation that is favourable to pest movement and establishment. This scientific review assesses the potential effects of climate change on plant pests and consequently on plant health. The evidence assessed strongly indicates that...

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environment-friendly method of pest control that integrates well into area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programmes. This book takes a generic, thematic, comprehensive, and global approach in describing the principles and practice of the SIT. The strengths and weaknesses, and successes and failures, of the SIT are evaluated openly and fairly from a scientific perspective. The SIT is applicable to some major pests of plant-, animal-, and h...

Integrated Pest Management: Current Concepts and Ecological Perspective presents an overview of alternative measures to traditional pest management practices using biological control and biotechnology. The removal of some highly effective broad-spectrum chemicals, caused by concerns over environmental health and public safety, has resulted in the development of alternative, reduced risk crop protection products. These products, less toxic to the environment and easily integrated into biolo...

This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of a...

A major task of our time is to ensure adequate food supplies for the world's current population (now nearing 7 billion) in a sustainable way while protecting the vital functions and biological diversity of the global environment. The task of providing for a growing population is likely to be even more difficult in view of actual and potential changes in climatic conditions due to global warming, and as the population continues to grow. Current projections suggest that the world's temperatu...