The projected effects of climate change on the management of agricultural insect pests

Abstract

Crop losses are expected to increase due to the positive impact of rising temperatures on pest populations. Adapting pest control strategies to climate change is thus crucial for sustainable food production. This review examines the influence of climate, particularly temperature, on four common pest control tactics: chemical insecticides, pheromone-based mating disruption, entomopathogens, and biological control using entomophagous arthropods. The use of insecticides is likely to increase because of higher pest populations, but the effect of temperature on their toxicity is complex and varies between insecticides and pest species. Entomopathogens and their derivatives may also see improved efficacy, as higher temperatures enhance infectivity and pathogenicity, though the influence of climate on insect immune systems remains unpredictable. The effect of warming on insect biological control with entomophagous organisms is highly context-dependent because the outcomes depend on the relative thermal range of interacting species. Furthermore, the efficiency of biological control agents would be determined by changes in their physiology and behaviour, by the composition of their communities, and by cascading trophic effects. Potential improvements in pest management strategies would help to cope with climate change. For example, combining two or more biological control agents that have different thermal preferences, selecting strains adapted to harsh climatic conditions, or genetically improving them through selection have the potential to mitigate the overall positive influence of climate change on insect pests.