A Review of the Biology, Ecology, and Management of the South American Locust, Schistocerca cancellata (Serville, 1838), and Future Prospects

TRUMPER, EDUARDO; CEASE, ARIANNE; CIGLIANO, M.M.; LANGE, C.E; MEDINA, H.; OVERSON, R. ; THERVILLE, C. ; POCCO, M.E.; PIOU, C. ; ZAGAGLIA, G.

Agronomy

MDPI

Año: 2022 vol. 12 p. 1 - 20

2073-4395

In the first half of the twentieth century, the South American Locust (SAL), Schistocercacancellata (Serville, 1838), was a major pest of agriculture in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay,and Brazil. From 1954?2014, a preventive management program appeared to limit SAL populations,with only small- to moderate-scale treatments required, limited to outbreak areas in northwestArgentina. However, the lack of major locust outbreaks led to a gradual reduction in resources, andin 2015, the sudden appearance of swarms marked the beginning of a substantial upsurge, with manyswarms reported initially in Argentina in 2015, followed by expansion into neighboring countriesover the next few years. The upsurge required a rapid allocation of resources for management ofSAL and a detailed examination of the improvements needed for the successful management of thisspecies. This paper provides a review of SAL biology, management history, and perspectives onnavigating a plague period after a 60-year recession.