ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY IN TROPICAL FOREST PLANTATIONS: AN UPDATE

Abstract

At a time when natural tropical forests continue to shrink, tree plantations are being expanded. The goal is to reduce
pressures on remaining natural forests, to exploit the enormous yield potential of certain species, and increasingly to return degraded sites to woody cover. Pests continue to interfere with this effort. This paper was developed to provide an update on the pests and their status for the last 25 years. The major economic pest insects of tropical regions are briefly introduced, as they affect fruit, seed, as well as seedlings, and plantation trees of various ages. Pest management strategies of significance utilised to manage these insects, key literature, and some general remarks concerning geographic, food preference and other patterns are included.