APPLICATION OF GIS ON MONITORING AGRICULTURAL INSECT PESTS: A REVIEW

Abstract

Agricultural insect pests cause crop yield loss which results in imbalance between the food demand of world population and the global agriculture output. Pest control can be more efficient if it becomes possible to identify the current status of pest timely and take action immediately. In this regard, application of Geographic Information System (GIS) has added a new dimension for pest management. This review paper focused on the implication of GIS technology in insect pest management by facilitating decisions making process, timely planning and getting different information in many specific areas; such as monitoring suitable habitat, foliage damage index, population distribution diversity and migration of insect pests at different aspects. GIS maps, produced by using manual and remotely sensed data with the help of various hardware and software, have facilitated forecasting and early warning of insect outbreaks and their population diversity. So, that it can help researchers and farmers to take proper management planning and decisions, like when and how should they take management and control strategies against any insect pest to save agricultural fields from pest attack or outbreak. Recent advancements in the field of agriculture by using GIS technology have provided ample scope in agriculture for pest monitoring, detection and timely management with high precision and accuracy.