ABSTRACT
In the 20th century, food production in Western Europe and North America has reached such high levels that farmers are sometimes urged to reduce their output, despite the problems of undernourishment which beset much of the rest of the world. Clearly, although many political and economic problems need to be solved before the advantages of modem agriculture can be transferred to the developing nations, the ability exists to increase greatly the yields of many crops. The chapter describes the state of insect control, considering its failures as well as its successes, because it is only by taking this “warts and all” approach that we can realistically set the scene for an analysis of future requirements. An overview of the relative importance of insect pests can be obtained by analyzing the amount of money spent buying chemicals for their control. Control of insects can also be subdivided into three major headings: cultural approaches, chemical control, and biological control.
