Encyclopedia of pest management /

Pimentel's encyclopedia lists more than 250 topics, alphabetically arranged, on components of pest management, "Acute Human Poisonings" to "Weed Electrocution." Entries are refereed and signed, run two to five pages, and end with references. Titles of entries are not always intuitive. The extensive, useful index helps locate subjects buried in separate papers. Tables, graphs, and pictures illustrate most papers. Coverage is broad, but the successful pecan pest management program is omitted. With regard to boll weevil eradication, the encyclopedia states, "Apparently [the] project has evolved from eradication to containment"; to the contrary, efforts vigorously continue, with the outcome as yet undetermined. The encyclopedia allows brief coverage of diverse topics in pest management heretofore relatively inaccessible to general readers. Its known authors and supplied references contrast this material with that found via a key word Web search, which offers uncertain expertise of undetermined origin. The work is informative and useful, on rare occasions provocative, and gives readers a scholarly entree into this subject. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All collections. M. K. Harris Texas A&M University