How to Manage Migratory Pests and Potential Food Crises: Locusts Plagues in the 2020’s
by Michel Lecoq and Arianne Cease (Editors) from MDPI Books.
ISBN 978-3-0365-5752-6 (Hard Cover, available for purchase on the site)
ISBN 978-3-0365-5751-9 (PDF, free to download on the site)
Locusts are a threat to agriculture and livelihoods in many countries globally. The economic, social, and environmental consequences of these highly migratory pests are so substantial that they are treated as a national priority by many countries, with several international commissions established to unite efforts. This book is the compilation of 22 articles published in the journal Agronomy between September 2020 and September 2022. It gathers the contributions of 54 authors from 19 countries in North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. It covers topics related to the main species of economic importance, in particular the Desert locust, Italian locust, Central American locust, Brown locust, Moroccan locust, and Migratory locust. It mobilizes diverse disciplines ranging from ecology, biology and biogeography to social sciences and political philosophy. Throughout its pages, this book aims to shed light on some overarching questions, such as:
1) What have we learned from historical outbreaks?
2) How serious is the threat?
3) What research is ongoing and is needed to better manage these insects?
4) How should the world respond to plagues today, especially in the context of climate change?
5) Are recommended preventive strategies really effective and what are the constraints to their application?
6) Is there a possibility to make better use of biological alternatives to chemical pesticides?