Fighting insect damage to legumes

Legumes provide an important source of protein for many in Third World countries. They also increase soil nitrogen levels. However, insect pests cause major damage to the principal legume crops In developing countries (cowpea, soybean, beans, pigeonpea and groundnut) and chemical control is expensive and increasingly unacceptable on environmental grounds. Insect pests of tropical food legumes, edited by S R Singh, who is Director of the Grain Legume Improvement Program at IITA in Nigeria, focuses on the development of crops that are resistant to infestation by insects and explores methods which can minimize the need for chemical control. By these means, while insect attack may never totally be conquered, damage can be limited and yields stabilized. The information in this book has been arranged by crop description so that the campaigners in the crusade against insect damage can concentrate easily on the insects that affect production and growth. Included in each chapter are colour illustrations. There is an 86-page bibliography. Insect pests of tropical food legumes edited by S R Singh 451 pp, 1990 ISBN 0 471 923907 Available from CTAInsect pests of tropical food legumes edited by S R Singh 451 pp, 1990 ISBN 0 471 923907 Available from CT