Application of geospatial technologies towards pest management in agriculture

Abstract

Agriculture plays a foremost role in the progress of the Indian economy's contribution. Agricultural production is threatened by various factors around the agricultural ecosystem such as abiotic and biotic factors. Under biotic living organisms, pests and disease are significant makes damage on different stages of crops and reducing the crop yield and income. Pest monitoring, forecasting, and management tactics have been assimilated part of the crop production system to manage pests. The extensive adoption of geospatial technologies, which include remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS), has resulted in a notable paradigm change in the area of pest control in recent years. This review article explores the foundational ideas and processes of remote sensing and GIS, with a particular emphasis on their uses in agricultural pest control. Geospatial technologies provide real-time and accurate information on pest infestations, their geographical distribution, and the variables driving their dynamics, opening up a multitude of potential in pest control. This helps farmers and other agricultural stakeholders to build timely pest management programs and make educated decisions. Additionally, these technologies provide early warning systems, making it possible to take preventative steps against prospective insect outbreaks, decreasing the need for chemical pesticides and lowering their environmental effect. In conclusion, the present paper highlights how geospatial technologies, in particular remote sensing and GIS, have fundamentally changed agricultural pest control tactics. Utilizing these technologies has the potential to increase agricultural output, sustainability, and resilience to pest-related concerns.