Insect Pests of Spices and Their Management

Spice crops are grown in diverse agro-ecological regions in India and are infested by various insect pests affecting the productivity of these crops and causing economic losses. The information on the distribution, host range, nature and symptoms of damage, life cycle, seasonal population, host resistance, and natural enemies of major insect pests of spice crops such as black pepper (Piper nigrum), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and turmeric (Curcuma longa) are reviewed in this chapter. Many of these insect pests are controlled by application of chemical pesticides. Excessive and indiscriminate use of pesticides could result in pesticide residues in the produce, mortality of pollinators, natural enemies and other non-target organisms, development of resistance, and environmental pollution. There has been a renewed interest in developing environment-friendly pest management schedules in sustainable agriculture including spice crops, and the advances in management of insect pests of spice crops involving cultural and biological means, use of resistant varieties and plant products, and need-based application of pesticides are included in the chapter. The review also identifies the current gaps in knowledge and the opportunities and challenges for the production of clean spices, reflecting the global concern over pesticide misuse.