Knowra Agricultural pest Agricultural pest An organism that damages crops or reduces agricultural production. Agricultural pests include insects, weeds, plant pathogens, nematodes, and vertebrate animals.
Herbivory : The consumption of living plant tissues by animals. Insect and vertebrate pests reduce crops by eating leaves, roots, seeds, or fruit.
Integrated pest management : An approach that combines monitoring, prevention, and multiple control methods to manage pests. It coordinates pest controls while limiting unnecessary pesticide use and other harms.
Crop yield : The amount of agricultural produce harvested from a given area or production system. Pest damage can reduce the quantity of harvestable crop.
Colorado potato beetle : A leaf beetle whose larvae and adults feed on potato and other nightshade plants. Its severe crop feeding and capacity to evolve insecticide resistance make it a major pest.
Plant pathogen : A bacterium, fungus, virus, or other agent that causes disease in plants. Pathogens damage crops by disrupting plant function and causing disease.
Biological pest control : The use of living organisms to suppress pest populations. Predators, parasitoids, and pathogens can reduce agricultural pest populations.
Pesticide resistance : The inherited ability of a pest population to survive a pesticide dose that once controlled it. Repeated chemical control can select for resistant pest populations.
Fall armyworm : A moth whose caterpillars feed on many crops, including maize. Its broad host range and migratory spread can threaten crops across regions.
Weed : A plant growing where it is unwanted, especially one that competes with cultivated plants. Weeds reduce crop growth by competing for light, water, nutrients, and space.
Pesticide : A substance or biological agent used to prevent, destroy, or control pests. Pesticides are a major tool for controlling agricultural pests, though they can have side effects.
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