Screening and potent applicability analysis of commonly used pesticides against desert locust: an integrative entomo-informatics approach

The locust problem is a global threat for food security. Locusts can fly and migrate overseas within a zip and creating a large-scale devastation to the diversified agro-ecosystem. GIS based analysis showed the recent movement of locusts, among them Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria are predominant in Indian subcontinent and are found more notorious and devastating one. This devastation needs to be stopped to save human race from food deprivation. In our study, we screened some commonly used agricultural pesticides and strongly recommended three of them viz . biphenthrin, diafenthiuron and silafluofen which might be potential to control the desert locusts based on their binding affinity towards the locust’s survival proteins. Our phylogenetic analysis reveals that these three recommended pesticides might also show potency to the other locust species as well as they are also way safer than the other commercially available pesticides. These proposed pesticide’s bioactive analogs from fungus and bacteria may also show efficacy as next generation controlling measures of locust as well as different kind of pests. These recommended pesticides are expected to be highly effective against locusts and needs to bring forward by the entomologists’ by performing experimental field trials. Highlights GIS map unmasked the 2020 migratory pattern of locusts which now predominant towards Indian subcontinent. Biphenthrin, diafenthiuron and silafluofen showed maximum binding affinity. Biphenthrin and diafenthiuron were relatively safer than silafluofen. Bioactive analogs from fungus and bacteria could be an alternative to control locusts. Pesticides inhibition hotspots for desert locusts were unrevealed.