Insect pests cause huge economic loss to crops during pre-harvest and post harvest stages across the globe affecting  food production which is essential to meet the demands of growing human population. Avoiding such loss is of the immediate concern for all. However, looking into the complex nature of pests, their damage and loss, it is a huge challenge to the farmer in containing them.

This course mainly aims at right identification of pest causing economic damage in a crop based on damage symptoms expressed by the plant, understanding their nature of damage, identifying weak links in their life cycle and utilizing economic and eco-friendly techniques of management in a compatible manner in order to maintain the pest population at levels below those causing economic injury/damage. 

The course will cover the basics of insects as pests, reasons for their outbreak resulting in crop loss, types of pests, common diagnostic methods to be employed and common management strategies to be followed in managing them. Later, course explains in detail about important pests occurring on major groups of field crops viz., cereals, pulses, oil seeds and commercial crops commonly grown in South East Asian countries. Further, the course also deals with pests occurring on stored grains and their management.