Parasitoids as biocontrol agents in India

Amid concerns over chemical pesticide resistance and its associated environmental hazards, parasitoids offer an alternative long-term solution to manage insect pests in agriculture. India’s use of parasitoids in pest management has developed in tandem with the rest of the world, and this review summarizes the history of parasitoid-based biocontrol from the past to the present, focusing on problems such as climate adaptability, ecological compatibility, research-based advances, and policy-making. It focuses on successful classical, conservative, and augmentative techniques that form the foundation for implementing effective and sustainable biological control strategies involving parasitoids in India. The components that influence the efficiency of biocontrol activities, such as suitable phenological stages of parasitoids, field deployment techniques, quality assurance, environmental conditions, area-wide approaches, the need for sound habitat management, policy interventions, and public–private partnership are highlighted. Recent advancements in parasitoid mass production, quality control, and understanding competitive ecological interactions have provided prospects for designing effective parasitoid-centered biocontrol programs. The review presents historical breakthroughs in explaining how parasitoids help stabilize the agroecological dynamics that support sustainable food systems, primarily in India.