IRRIGATED RICEagroecossystems: PESTINSECTS, NATURAL ENEMIES AND INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Pest insects are considered throughout the world as a major limitation to the production of irrigated rice crops. Many different control methods have been devised in attempts to reduce such losses. However, the continuous use of phytosanitary products induce resistance formation in the targeted insect pests, in addition to increasing the abundance of other secondary pests. Biological control through the use of natural enemies like predators, parasitoids and diseases surged as an alternative method for controlling insect pests in the field by reducing their population sizes and, consequently, the damage to their host plants. The present review presents the results of research on pest insects of rice cultures and revisits the importance of their natural enemies as biological control agents in an Integrated Pest Management context.