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Insects
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Advances in Insect Pest Management: Innovative Approaches to Enhance Plant...
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Advances in Insect Pest Management: Innovative Approaches to Enhance Plant Protection

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 2207

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nuray Baser

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies of Bari (CIHEAM Bari), 70010 Valenzano, Italy
Interests: Drosophila suzukii; biological control; pest control; environmental and user friendly control strategies
Prof. Dr. Gulay Kacar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Plant Protection Department, Agriculture Faculty, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Golkoy, Bolu 14030, Türkiye
Interests: plant protection; insect pest management; integrated pest control; biological control; insect fauna in agricultural area; vegetables and fruit pests
Dr. Dragana Šunjka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department for Environmental and Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: plant protection; biopesticides; pesticide residues in agricultural products; environmental pollution; biological efficiency and quality of pesticides; instrumental methods of analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Modern agriculture faces a range of challenges, including growing concerns regarding food safety, the development of organic agricultural production, the emergence of invasive species, the presence of resistant populations of harmful organisms, and the disruption of biodiversity, which is caused by our reliance on pesticidal interventions.

Insect pests represent a main source of biotic stress, thus affecting the yield and quality of crops; as a potential threat to food safety, this stress is managed via the application of pesticides. However, this quick-fix mentality can have adverse effects on environmental and human health.

Thus, innovative approaches to insect pest management must focus on the integration of novel technologies, biological methods, and sustainable practices to reduce our reliance on pesticides.

In order to provide sustainable and safe food production, these issues must be addressed in conventional, organic and integrated agricultural farming.

This Special Issue of Insects aims to provide an overview of research regarding the development of interventions that manage insect pest populations to enhance the protection of plants. Therefore, we are pleased to invite leading researchers (entomologists, plant protection specialists and associated experts) to submit review and original research articles to this Special Issue of Insects.

The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

Keywords:

  • plant protection
  • crop protection
  • insects control
  • alternative measures
  • organic agriculture
  • biocontrol agents
  • plant–insect interactions
  • biological control
  • biopesticides
  • pests

Dr. Nuray Baser
Prof. Dr. Gulay Kacar
Dr. Dragana Šunjka
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant protection
  • crop protection
  • insects control
  • alternative measures
  • organic agriculture
  • biocontrol agents
  • plant–insect interactions
  • biological control
  • biopesticides
  • pests

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3641 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Biological Control of Drosophila suzukii: Efficacy of Trichopria drosophilae Releases and Interactions with a Native Parasitoid, Pachycrepoideus vindemiae
by Nuray Baser, Charbel Matar, Luca Rossini, Abir Ibn Amor, Dragana Šunjka, Dragana Bošković, Stefania Gualano and Franco Santoro
Insects 2025, 16(7), 715; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16070715 - 11 Jul 2025
Viewed by 26
Abstract
The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii is an injurious polyphagous pest threatening worldwide soft fruit production. Its high adaptability to new colonized environments, short life cycle, and wide host range are supporting its rapid spread. The most common techniques to reduce its significant [...] Read more.
The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii is an injurious polyphagous pest threatening worldwide soft fruit production. Its high adaptability to new colonized environments, short life cycle, and wide host range are supporting its rapid spread. The most common techniques to reduce its significant economic damage are based on multiple insecticides applications per season, even prior to the harvest, which reduces agroecosystem biodiversity and affects human and animal health. Environmental concerns and regulatory restrictions on insecticide use are driving the need for studies on alternative biological control strategies. This study aimed to assess the effect of T. drosphilae in controlling D. suzukii infestations and its interaction with P. vindemiae, a secondary parasitoid naturally present in Apulia (South Italy). Field experiments were carried out in organic cherry orchards in Gioia del Colle (Bari, Italy) to test the efficacy and adaptability of T. drosphilae following weekly releases of artificially reared individuals. Additionally, the interaction between P. vindemiae and T. drosphilae was studied under laboratory conditions. Results from field experiments showed that D. suzukii populations were significantly lower when both parasitoids were present. However, T. drosophilae was less prone to adaptation, so its presence and parasitism were limited to the post-release period. Laboratory experiments, instead, confirmed the high reduction of D. suzukii populations when both parasitoids are present. However, the co-existence of the two parasitoids resulted in a reduced parasitism rate and offspring production, notably for T. drosophilae. This competitive disadvantage may explain its poor establishment in field conditions. These findings suggest that the field release of the two natural enemies should be carried out with reference to their natural population abundance to not generate competition effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Insect Pest Management: Innovative Approaches to Enhance Plant Protection)
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20 pages, 3055 KiB  
Article
Mealworm Frass as a Novel Insect Food-Based Attractant: The Case of Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae)
by Ioannis E. Koufakis, Argyro P. Kalaitzaki, George D. Broufas, Antonios E. Tsagkarakis and Maria L. Pappas
Insects 2025, 16(5), 466; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16050466 - 28 Apr 2025
Viewed by 693
Abstract
The management of Bactrocera oleae (Rossi, 1790) has relied on chemical insecticides, applied as bait or cover sprays. However, concerns over insecticide resistance and environmental impact have driven the search for more effective and eco-friendly alternatives, such as mass trapping. The aim of [...] Read more.
The management of Bactrocera oleae (Rossi, 1790) has relied on chemical insecticides, applied as bait or cover sprays. However, concerns over insecticide resistance and environmental impact have driven the search for more effective and eco-friendly alternatives, such as mass trapping. The aim of the study was to assess a novel food-based attractant, derived from Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus, 1758 excreta “Frass”, for its attractiveness to B. oleae adults compared to widely used commercial food-based attractants. Over a four-year period, five field trials were conducted in two organic olive groves in Crete, Greece, using a randomized complete block design with five or six replicate blocks. Results showed that frass-based attractants captured significantly higher number of B. oleae adults than the other tested attractants. Additionally, trap–attractant combinations were assessed to determine the most efficient mass-trapping system. Frass-based attractant deployed in Anel or container traps demonstrated significantly higher attractiveness than all commercial traps and lures tested. The significant advantages of mealworm frass as an attractant highlight its potential to enhance the monitoring and suppression of B. oleae in olive orchards. Its consistent performance, sustainability, and environmental safety make it a promising tool in integrated pest management strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Insect Pest Management: Innovative Approaches to Enhance Plant Protection)
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14 pages, 2961 KiB  
Article
Impact of Irradiated Drosophila melanogaster Pupae on the Quality and Population Parameters of Trichopria drosophilae
by Yong-Zhuo Chen, Xiao-Meng Gong, Min Zhang, Peng-Cheng Liu, Xu-Xiang Zhang and Hao-Yuan Hu
Insects 2025, 16(4), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16040379 - 2 Apr 2025
Viewed by 601
Abstract
Trichopria drosophilae is a globally distributed pupal parasitoid that targets various species within the Drosophilidae family, including the invasive Drosophila suzukii. The mass rearing of T. drosophilae is a crucial step in ensuring their successful application for field D. suzukii control. The [...] Read more.
Trichopria drosophilae is a globally distributed pupal parasitoid that targets various species within the Drosophilidae family, including the invasive Drosophila suzukii. The mass rearing of T. drosophilae is a crucial step in ensuring their successful application for field D. suzukii control. The pupae of Drosophila melanogaster are currently used as a host for the mass rearing of T. drosophilae. After irradiation, the immune system function of Drosophila pupae was weakened, leading to an increase in the parasitism efficiency of the T. drosophilae. Our results showed that irradiated pupae had a significant impact on the parasitism rate, offspring eclosion rate, offspring number, and female body size of F1 T. drosophilae, all of which were significantly lower than those in the normal group. However, there was no significant difference in the parasitism rate, body size, offspring eclosion rate, offspring number, or offspring sex ratio between F2 T. drosophilae emerging from treated or untreated Drosophila pupae. Compared with F2, F1 had a significantly higher net reproductive rate (R₀), mean generation time (T), and doubling time (DT), while the intrinsic rate of increase (r) was significantly lower. Using irradiated D. melanogaster pupae provides an efficient method for the mass rearing of T. drosophilae and offers valuable insights into its potential effectiveness in field D. suzukii control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Insect Pest Management: Innovative Approaches to Enhance Plant Protection)
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