Locust Outbreaks: Management and the World Economy

Here is a comprehensive resource on the devastating effect of locust outbreaks on crop production along with valuable coverage of traditional as well as new and emerging control and mitigation strategies. Begining with an introduction to and history of locust attacks, the volume describes the deleterious effects of locusts on crops and delves into both traditional and state-of-the art control and management technologies to combat locust outbreaks, including such advanced technologies as geographical information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS) and methods such as employing entomopathogenic fungi as a pest control measure. The book also evaluates how climate change has exacerbated the damage from locusts and the environmental ramifications. The book considers the scientific aspect of the role of pheromones on the reproduction of locusts and discusses the culture of using locusts as a food source in some countries. Topically, the volume also considers the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on locust outbreaks on the world’s economy.

This important and unique volume is a highly valuable resource for those working on meeting the challenges of locust invasions and their terrible consequences on crops, societies, and economies.

Umair Riaz, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil & Environmental Sciences at MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Pakistan. Dr. Riaz also served as a Scientific Officer for six years in the Soil and Water Testing Laboratory for Research, Pakistan, specializing in waste management, metal toxicology, phytochemistry, and phytoremediation. Dr. Riaz’s research interests are related to the development of new fertilizer technology based on nanochemistry with an emphasis on plant nutrition. He is the author of many research papers and book chapters, and he has presented and participated at numerous conferences, seminars, workshops, and symposia. Dr. Riaz has worked as a research associate in Higher Education Commission (HEC) funded projects regarding field studies. He has received many awards and recognitions for his services to the science of soil, water, pesticide, and fertilizer testing analysis.

Khalid Rehman Hakeem, PhD, is Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, India, at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor. Dr. Hakeem has more than 14 years of teaching and research experience in plant eco-physiology, biotechnology and molecular biology, medicinal plant research, plant-microbe-soil interactions, as well as in environmental studies. He is the recipient of several fellowships at both national and international levels. He has served as a visiting scientist at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. Currently, he is involved with several international research projects with government organizations. A prolific author and editor of books, book chapters, and journal publications, he is on the advisory board of Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK. He is also a fellow of the Plantae group of the American Society of Plant Biologists, member of the World Academy of Sciences, member of the International Society for Development and Sustainability, Japan, and member of the Asian Federation of Biotechnology, Korea.