ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a discussion on pests in general—insects, weeds, and diseases—because they are three significant worldwide constraints to agricultural production. The pesticides which are depended upon heavily for the last 30 or 40 years are under increasing pressure, not only because of increased costs but, also, due to increased pest resistance. One alternative is biological control. Certain types of biological control can be less expensive but many will be more expensive. Another is host-plant resistance. A third is the use of biocides-pathogens that perform like an insecticide. One thing that influences the severity of pest problems is that our world is shrinking because of modern transportation. Biotechnology will have an impact on pests, particularly in the area of host plant resistance. One can expect to see great progress in transferring genes that will provide resistance to plant-specific pest species or to pathogens.
