Review paper
Efficacy of long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting in controlling preharvest and postharvest pest insects: a meta-analysis study
Ranabhat, Sabita; Altunç, Yunus Emre; Athanassiou, Christos G.; Zhu, Kun Yan; Morrison, William R.
Entomologia Generalis Volume 44 Number 6 (2024), p. 1441 - 1458
published: Dec 12, 2024
published online: Dec 10, 2024
manuscript accepted: Oct 22, 2024
manuscript revision received: Oct 5, 2024
manuscript revision requested: Sep 26, 2024
manuscript received: May 20, 2024
DOI: 10.1127/entomologia/2024/2743
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
Long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting (LLIN) is a newer tactic to intercept insect movement and reduce the damage caused by insect species in agriculture. LLIN can be integrated with other diverse management tactics in pre- and postharvest settings, but no study has yet looked at the combined patterns across all undertaken studies to determine efficacy. Thus, we have carried out a meta-analysis on the direct and sublethal efficacy of LLIN, using literature published between 1990–2024 in agriculture. Additional criteria for inclusion included that the netting must contain an active ingredient and a proper control. This left us with a total of 44 peer-reviewed publications with 285 data points on the efficacy of LLIN in agriculture. LLIN exposure was 8.6-fold and 257-fold more effective in causing direct mortality and sublethal effects in the laboratory, respectively, compared to the field. However, broad generalization is limited because of the low sample size for field studies. Direct mortality was equally observed after exposure in preharvest and postharvest systems, but sublethal effects were 4.9-fold greater in postharvest environments. Deltamethrin and alpha-cypermethrin-incorporated netting inflict similar direct mortality across taxa in both pre- and postharvest settings. LLIN exposure has shown direct efficacy against 19 out of 23 tested species and has induced sublethal effects in 10 out of 16 tested species. Overall, our study synthesizes the current knowledge on a promising new technology for agriculture, we highlight knowledge gaps, including a lack of field-relevant data, and finally suggest areas for further research in this field considering the entire production chain.
Keywords
LLIN • stored products • vegetables • horticulture • integrated pest management