165tems and the types and nature of interactions among the various biotic and abi-
otic components of ecosystems- IPM requires the development of economic decision-making tools for the eco-
nomical application of ecofriendly, biorational and bio-based insecticides
(Dhaliwal et al. 2006 ; Pedigo and Rice 2009 ).
5.5 IPM Approaches for Enhancing Productivity and Food
Security
In dryland farming systems, monocultures or rotated cultivation supports the
ephemeral nature of a pest’s food resources (host plants) that directly curtails the
performance of natural enemies, pollinators and other beneficial insect fauna and
indirectly reduces the density of beneficial fauna and crop yields from high pest
pressure (Vandermeer 1989 ; Booij and Noorlander 1992 ; Way 1988 ; Ahern and
Brewer 2002 ; Brewer and Elliott 2004 ; Tscharntke et al. 2005 ; Clough et al. 2007 ).
In dryland cropping systems, IPM tactics are used in different ways including incor-
poration into the cropping system, application for near-term future problems and
implementation for currently-active problems. Host plant resistance, biological
control (importation, release and conservation methods) and cultural control prac-
tices including crop rotation, intercropping, relay/trap cropping, planting density,
clean cultivation (pest-free materials), sowing time, harvesting time, tillage, sanita-
tion, adjacent land use, fertilizer application management and irrigation manage-
ment are generally incorporated into cropping system design in dryland farming
systems. Pesticides, biological control by augmentation and tillage practices are
generally applied while intercropping, cover cropping, sowing and harvesting times,
sanitation, soil fertility and irrigation management are occasionally applied for
currently- active problems in dryland farming systems. Biological control (BC) by
importation and release for future and current problems, by augmentation in crop-
ping system design or for currently-active problems, and cultural practices like crop
rotation, plant population/density, pest-free planting materials and field size are not
applied for currently-active problems in dryland farming systems (Holtzer et al.
1996 ). IPM tactics can be categorized into host plant resistance, biological, mechan-
ical, physical, cultural, genetic and chemical control.
5.5.1 Economic Decision Levels
Effective and sustainable insect pest management depends on economic decision
levels (EDLs) which are indispensable for determining the course of action, ensur-
ing sensible pesticide application, reducing ludicrous economic damage, safeguard-
ing producer profits, and conserving environmental quality in any pest situation
(Dhaliwal et al. 2006 ; Pedigo and Rice 2009 ; Alam 2010 ; Jha 2010 ). EDLs were
Insect-Pests in Dryland Agriculture and their Integrated Management