Natural enemies as biological control tools for highly infesting apricot pests of Ladakh region

Abstract

With the extensive use of pesticide-based pest management, which has affected our ecosystem, environment, and health of living beings. Insect pests gained resistance toward that chemical at that specific dose. Ladakh is the cold arid desert where the production of Apricot is pretty enough but due to the infestation of pests like Codling moth, Brown tail Moth, Gypsy Moth, Brown Scale, etc. leads to a high reduction in production. Chemical control is not sustainable management. Bio-control is one of the options and it’s easily incorporated with integrated pest management (IPM). Ladakh where there is a social taboo of not to kill an insect by chemical, physical and mechanical means, bio-control is one of the viable options to control these noxious pests and it’s also eco-friendly method. This review helps us to know the basics of natural enemies, types of natural enemies, the record of success, major noxious pests of apricot in Ladakh (India) and their natural enemies.