Entomology, Ornithology & Herpetology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Locust Control Management: Moving from Traditional to New Technologies – An Empirical Analysis

Anil Sharma

The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria Forskal) has caused great losses to agriculture in Africa, the Middle East and South West Asia. Their annual migrations take them downwind where winter, spring and summer rains fall for breeding. During the period 1863 to 1962 there were ten plagues in India and 18 upsurges from 1963 to 2012. Traditional desert locust control methods were used which were not successful. Newer technologies in the form of pesticides, ULV spraying, GPS, GIS tools, Satellite data imagery, RAMSES and elocust2 with the computers have been introduced for quick data management and analysis for planning desert locust control. The impact of newer technologies for locust control management in India for last 50 years has been successful. The South West Asia and the Middle East countries have taken responsibility for monitoring the breeding grounds and applying plague prevention strategy for desert locust control in the outbreak areas and by exchanging desert locust infestation information through FAO. The early prevention strategy for desert locust control has achieved its original objective of preventing damage to major agricultural zones in invasion area and helps protect the crops of small farmers as well as grazing grounds for the livestock.