Hyposidra talaca (Geometridae: Lepidoptera) outbreak in tea gardens: management strategies and future prospects

Looper infestation in tea growing region of the sub-Himalayan range poses a severe threat to tea industries that can jeopardize a major player in the nation's economy. Despite undertaking several control measures, their impact has only grown due to climate change and ineffective pest management strategies. This comprehensive review consolidates findings from various published articles, encompassing this pest’s ecology, morphology, diversity, their resistance patterns to plant allelochemicals and pesticides, and impact of climate change on the growth and development. The pest's habit and habitat, lifecycles, interactions with the environment, and defensive strategies are being studied thoroughly. This review also underscores the paradoxical issue of shade tree planting in tea plantations, which, while integral for quality tea-leaves, inadvertently fosters pest outbreaks. To address this, the planting of suitable shade trees like Melia azedarach, having insect repellent ability has been endorsed. Understanding these factors may result in low-cost maintenance, reduction in crop losses, and improved overall efficiency in pest management. This knowledge facilitates the development of proactive and sustainable pest management strategies, which effectively minimize the emergence, and proliferation of resistance, thereby safeguarding the long-term efficiency of pest management strategies.