Integrated pest management for sustainable agriculture and biological precision

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, offering an ecologically balanced alternative to pesticide-intensive practices. This systematic review synthesized findings from over 200 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025, covering diverse crops and agroecosystems across six continents. The synthesis revealed that IPM adoption reduces chemical pesticide use by 40–70% and enhances crop yields by 10–35%, demonstrating its potential to balance productivity with environmental protection. The most effective IPM frameworks integrated biological control agents such as Trichoderma, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas spp., along with ecological engineering, cultural practices, and digital decision-support systems (DSS) employing artificial intelligence and precision agriculture tools. However, socio-economic barriers—including limited farmer literacy, financial constraints, and weak policy support—continue to hinder large-scale adoption, especially in resource-limited regions. Evidence from global case studies highlights that participatory approaches, including Farmer Field Schools, community-based IPM, and mobile-enabled DSS, enhance adoption, profitability, and resilience to climate-induced pest outbreaks. The review concludes that the future of IPM lies in combining traditional ecological knowledge with data-driven innovations to advance adaptive, cost-effective, and climate-resilient pest management systems for global food and environmental security.