Integrated Pest Management of Insect Pests in African Cereal Cropping Systems

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a knowledge-intensive approach to the sustainable control of insect pests in crop production. It combines compatible management methods and decision-making based on pest monitoring, economic thresholds, and ecological understanding. Strengthening IPM is particularly important in Africa, where reducing reliance on chemical insecticides can help limit negative effects on human health, biodiversity, and natural resources, while supporting food security and resilient agricultural systems.Cereal crops, including maize, wheat, rice, sorghum, and millet, are central to food security and rural livelihoods across Africa. However, their production is increasingly constrained by insect pests, including invasive species and climate-related pest outbreaks. Many key pests in African cereal systems have biological and ecological characteristics that favour rapid population growth and severe crop damage, such as high reproductive capacity, short generation times, strong dispersal ability, and cryptic feeding habits. These traits often lead to recurrent outbreaks and require ecologically informed management strategies adapted to local agroecological conditions.This Research Topic focuses on IPM strategies for insect pests of cereal crops in Africa. It welcomes contributions that integrate knowledge of pest biology, behaviour, and population dynamics to improve detection, monitoring, and sustainable pest suppression in cereal production systems.Particular emphasis is placed on two complementary areas of innovation:1. Advanced monitoring and early detection of insect pests in African cereal systems, including pheromone- or kairomone-based trapping, predictive models, spatial risk mapping, and digital tools such as remote sensing and drone-assisted crop scouting.2. Ecologically based pest management strategies for cereal production, including biological control, conservation of natural enemies, host plant resistance, behavioural manipulation, and the targeted use of chemical control within resistance management frameworks.The Research Topic also recognises that effective IPM implementation in Africa depends on collaboration among researchers, farmers, extension services, policymakers, and private sector actors to support adoption and adaptation across diverse agroecological and socio-economic contexts.This Topic focuses specifically on cereal cropping systems in Africa, including maize, wheat, rice, sorghum, and millet. Topic editors: Souleymane Nacro, Abou Togola, Lakpo Koku B.A. Agboyi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78222/integrated-pest-management-of-insect-pests-in-african-cereal-cropping-systems