Advances in crop insect modelling methods—Towards a whole system approach
This article highlights research questions that stimulated the development of methods and tools for agricultural pest modelling
Abstract
Models to account for and predict insect pest attack could lessen the considerable yield losses that insects cause.
This article highlights some important research questions that stimulated the development of methods and tools for agricultural pest modelling and gives a summary of the most common concepts, tools, methods and techniques. It lists existing challenges in the modelling of insects and innovations in the field. Results show that the majority of known insect modelling approaches are not holistic and concentrate on a single component of the system, i.e. the pest, rather than the whole crop production system. The investigators propose a holistic approach for linking crop, pest, and environmental conditions.
This is an output of the ‘Development and Implementation of a Sustainable IPM and Surveillance Programme for the Invasive Tomato Leafminer, Tuta absoluta, in North and Sub-Saharan Africa’ project. It is partly funded by the UK Department for International Development, a core donor of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology.
Citation
Tonnang H.E.Z., Hervé B.D.B., Biber-Freudenberger L., Salifu D., Subramanian S., Ngowi V.B., Guimapi R.Y.A., Anani B., Kakmeni F.M.M., Affognon H., Niassy S., Landmann T., Ndjomatchoua F.T., Pedro S.A., Johansson T., Tanga C.M., Nana P., Fiaboe K.M., Mohamed S.F., Maniania N.K., Nedorezov L.V., Ekesi S. and Borgemeister C. (2017) Advances in crop insect modelling methods—Towards a whole system approach. Ecological Modelling 354, 88–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2017.03.015
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Advances in crop insect modelling methods—Towards a whole system approach