Climate Change Effects on Insects: Implications for Crop Protection and Food Security

Abstract

Global warming and climate change will trigger major changes in diversity and abundance of arthropods, geographical distribution of insect pests, insect population dynamics, insect biotypes, herbivore-plant interactions, activity and abundance of natural enemies, species extinction, and efficacy of crop protection technologies. Changes in geographical range and insect abundance will increase the extent of crop losses and, thus, will have a major bearing on crop production and food security. Distribution of insect pests will also be influenced by the changes in cropping patterns triggered by climate change. Major insect pests, such as cereal stem borers (Chilo, Sesamia, and Scirpophaga), pod borers (Helicoverpa, Maruca, and Spodoptera), aphids, and whiteflies may move to temperate regions, leading to greater damage in cereals, grain legumes, vegetables, and fruit crops. Host-plant resistance, biopesticides, natural enemies, and synthetic chemicals are some of the potential options for integrated pest management. However, the relative efficacy of many of these pest control measures is likely to change as a result of global warming. Climate change will also result in increased problems with insect-transmitted diseases. These changes will have major implications for crop protection and food security, particularly in developing countries where the need to increase and sustain food production is most urgent. Long-term monitoring of population levels and insect behavior, particularly in identifiably sensitive regions, may provide some of the first indications of a biological response to climate change.