Insect Pest Complex of Wheat Crop

Abstract

Wheat Triticum aestivum L. is grown on broad range of climatic conditions because of edible grains, cereal crop and stable food of about 2 Billion peoples worldwide. Additionally, it is the rich source of carbohydrates (55–60%), vegetable proteins and contributed 50–60% daily dietary requirement in Pakistan. Globally, wheat crops is grown over 90% area of total cultivated area; facing devastating biotic and abiotic factors. The estimated economic losses in wheat quantity and quality are about 4 thousands per tonne per year including physical crop losses and handling. Economic losses of about 80–90 million USD in Pakistan are recorded due to inadequate production and handling losses. Wheat agro-ecosystem of the world colonizes many herbivore insects which are abundant and causing significant losses. The feeding style of the insects made them dispersive from one habitat to another imposing significant crop loss. Areas of maximum wheat production are encountered with either insect which chew the vegetative as well as reproductive part or stem and root feeders. This chapter provides the pest’s taxonomic rank, distribution across the globe, biology and damage of chewing and sucking insect pest of wheat. It is very important to study biology of the pest in accordance with crop cycle to forecast which insect stage is economically important, what the proper time to manage pest is and what type of control is necessary to manage crop pest. The chapter will provide management strategies well suited to pest stage and environment.

A “solid” solution for wheat stem sawfly (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) resistance: Genetics, breeding and development of solid stem wheat

“…There are several constraints that affect the productivity of wheat, which include heat, drought, and biotic factors such as rust diseases and insect damage. Biotic stresses, to which insect damage contributes the most, account for about 20%–37% of yield losses worldwide in wheat (Qayyum, 2021). Among the biotic factors, overall harvest losses caused by wheat stem sawfly (WSS) (Hymenoptera: Cephidae: Cephus cinctus Norton) (Ainslie, 1920) infestation account for more than 350 million dollars per year in Western Northern Great Plains of United States and regions of Canada (Beres et al., 2011b).…”