Emerging Invasive Agricultural Insect Pests in India: Occurrence, Economic Impact, and Sustainable Management Strategies

Abstract

The introduction and establishment of invasive insect pests have become an increasing concern for Indian agriculture because of expanding global trade, movement of planting materials, changing climatic conditions, and intensified cropping systems. India’s diverse agro-climatic regions and wide range of cultivated crops provide favourable conditions for the survival and spread of several non-native insect pests. This review summarises major emerging invasive agricultural insect pests reported from India, with emphasis on their occurrence, host range, economic significance, and sustainable management options. Important invasive pests discussed include cotton mealybug (Phenacoccus solenopsis), papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus), South American tomato pinworm (Tuta absoluta), chilli black thrips (Thrips parvispinus), rugose spiralling whitefly (Aleurodicus rugioperculatus), fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), cassava mealybug (Phenacoccus manihoti), neotropical whitefly (Aleurotrachelus atratus), apple leaf blotch miner (Leucoptera malifoliella), and mango soft scale (Fistulococcus pokfulamensis). These pests damage crops through sap feeding, leaf mining, fruit injury, sooty mould development, plant distortion, and reduction in yield and marketable quality. Their successful establishment is supported by high reproductive potential, broad host range, rapid dispersal, ecological adaptability, and reduced regulation by natural enemies in invaded areas. The review also highlights insecticide resistance as an important challenge in invasive pest management, particularly where repeated chemical applications are used as the primary control method. Sustainable management requires early detection, quarantine enforcement, regular surveillance, biological control, conservation of natural enemies, cultural practices, host plant resistance, and need-based use of selective insecticides within integrated pest management programmes. Strengthening biosecurity systems and farmer-level awareness is essential to reduce future risks from invasive agricultural insect pests.