ABSTRACT
Agriculture is playing a very important role in Indian economy. Nowadays agricultural sector faces systematic annual losses due to pests and diseases. For controlling insect pests, many insecticides and pesticides are used in agriculture which are very harmful for humans. Long-term use of insecticides and pesticides in crops can produce resistance against insects and pests. Some plants have insecticidal properties; botanicals can be used as an alternative for insecticides and pesticides against insect pest and disease. They are less hazardous, biodegradable, and more effective than botanicals such as pyrethrins, rotenone, sabadilla, ryania, nicotine, linalool, and neem. Neem dust is used to control the stored grain pests and in toothpaste, soap, shampoo for nits, cosmetics, and cattle feed. Pheromones are one of the most powerful alternative approaches to control insect pests. Pheromones are natural substances that are produced by special glands in the abdomen of insects and it attracts the opposite gender of the same species. Insects produce pheromones for attracting the mate, for marking foraging routes, or to signal alarm to neighbors (e.g., aphids). Pheromones are used to control harmful insects and to attract insects to insecticide or chemosterilant baits, 92decrease the use of insecticidal practices. Light trap is used for monitoring insect populations with a view to provide early warning of the presence of pests, population dynamics of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. Botanicals, pheromone trap, and light trap play a very important role in controlling insect pest in agriculture. It is an alternative approach against insecticides and pesticides for controlling the insect pests. It is less hazardous to human, easy to handle, and most effective in controlling insect pests.
