Tropical crop pests and diseases in a climate change setting - A few examples

Climate change alters the behaviour of pests and their distribution. There is a genuine risk that pest and disease pressure will increase as a result of environmental and agrosystem disturbances. This is a concern for all agricultural stakeholders, especially in temperate countries where introductions of new pests, diseases and weeds abound. The list of introductions in Europe is getting ever longer, with the onset of disturbing phenomena that are a real threat to food security. The impact of climate change on pest populations and their natural enemies in the tropics is even harder and more complicated to grasp-changes in pest status, introductions, dramatic development of diseases or insect populations and extension of their ranges are being observed. Based on examples of insects and diseases affecting a few tropical agrosystems, we discuss the impact of climate change on these pests and propose new agroecological protection strategies while promoting the conservation of natural regulation services to sustainably reduce pest and disease risks. (Résumé d'auteur