Management Strategies for Invasive Agricultural Pests

Invasive agricultural pests pose a persistent threat to global food security, undermining crop yields, disrupting ecosystems and costing billions in control measures and lost revenue. Effective management hinges on a combination of prevention, early detection, containment and suppression strategies. Prevention encompasses quarantine regulations, biosecurity inspection and risk assessment informed by species distribution models. Early detection relies on molecular diagnostics, remote sensing and citizen science networks to rapidly identify nascent outbreaks. Once established, integrated pest management (IPM) frameworks bring together cultural practices (crop rotation, intercropping and field sanitation), biological control agents (predators, parasitoids and microbial biopesticides), host-plant resistance breeding and selective chemical interventions. Advances in agroecological approaches have emphasised habitat diversification, push-pull companion planting and soil health management to foster resilient agroecosystems. Complementary tools such as pheromone lures, biotechnological resistance traits and precision spraying technologies further refine control while minimising environmental impact. The global significance of these strategies is underscored by the need for harmonised policies, farmer training and adaptive management that responds to climate-driven shifts in pest range and behaviour.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Genome analyses of a highly polyphagous moth pest have revealed extensive expansions in gene families linked to chemoreception, detoxification and digestion, offering a molecular explanation for its ability to exploit diverse host plants. These findings inform the development of targeted biocontrol agents or RNA-interference strategies aimed at disrupting critical metabolic pathways. Complementary genomic surveys have mapped the strain distribution and migratory history of this pest across invaded regions, identifying distinct haplotypes and probable points of introduction. Such insights enable more precise forecasting of spread, facilitate the deployment of strain-specific monitoring tools and guide quarantine priorities in at-risk areas.

Management Strategies for Invasive Agricultural Pests publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in management strategies for invasive agricultural pests across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Integrated Pest Management (IPM): A coordinated approach that combines biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools to manage pest populations sustainably.

Host-Plant Resistance: The genetic or induced ability of crop varieties to deter or withstand pest attack through traits such as toxin production or structural barriers.

Push-Pull Technology: An agroecological strategy using repellent intercrops (“push”) and attractive trap plants (“pull”) to divert pests away from the main crop.

Biological Control: The use of natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, pathogens) to reduce pest populations below economic thresholds.

Species Distribution Models: Computational tools that predict potential geographic ranges of pests based on environmental variables and occurrence data.

References

1. Novel Mito‐Nuclear Combinations Facilitate the Global Invasion of a Major Agricultural Crop Pest. Advanced Science (2024).
2. Combining Milpa and Push-Pull Technology for sustainable food production in smallholder agriculture. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development (2023).
3. Agro-ecological options for fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith) management: Providing low-cost, smallholder friendly solutions to an invasive pest. Journal of Environmental Management (2019).
4. Two genomes of highly polyphagous lepidopteran pests (Spodoptera frugiperda, Noctuidae) with different host-plant ranges. Scientific Reports (2017).
5. Analysis of strain distribution, migratory potential, and invasion history of fall armyworm populations in northern Sub-Saharan Africa. Scientific Reports (2018).
6. Forecasting the global extent of invasion of the cereal pest Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm. NeoBiota (2018).
7. Molecular methods to detect Spodoptera frugiperda in Ghana, and implications for monitoring the spread of invasive species in developing countries. Scientific Reports (2017).