Management of Insect Pests of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Abstract

Insect pests of okra constitute a great threat to the crop all over the world which not only exerts quantitative loss but also qualitative loss. They are a major problem in crop production in Nigeria, limiting crop potential in a country that is often faced with food shortages. Although, chemical insecticides play an important role in the management of insect pests but it has been discovered to have long term effect on non-target organisms, problems of pest resistance, resurgence, pesticides residues, destruction of beneficial fauna and environmental pollution, which raises needs to introduce effective but safe substitutes. However, asides chemical control of insect pest, the parts of some plants (seed, root, bark leaf) as botanical extracts have been discovered to be effective in pest management considering their environmental safety.