Integrated pest control and environmental risk management for sustainable chili pepper production

Chili (Capsicum spp.) is a high-value crop in Indonesia constrained by a diverse insect pest complex, fragmented smallholder systems and intensive use of synthetic insecticides that cause environmental contamination, non-target impacts and resistance. This study synthesizes ecological and socio-economic evidence to 1) identify and quantify major pest constraints; 2) evaluate environmental and health costs of pesticide-centric management; and 3) assess eco-friendly Integrated Pest Management strategies and scale-up options. A systematic literature synthesis of peer-reviewed articles and grey literature published between 2010 and 2025 were investigated. Searches were run in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, AGRICOLA and Google Scholar and supplemented by Indonesian repositories and conference proceedings. Queries combined crop descriptors (chili, Capsicum), pest taxa (Bactrocera, Helicoverpa, Spodoptera, Bemisia tabaci, thrips, aphids, Liriomyza) and intervention types (biocontrol, biopesticide, botanical, Integrated Pest Management, nano-delivery). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses style screening, assessed study quality, extracted quantitative metrics on yield loss, application, non-target effects, and adoption rates were extracted. Furthermore, results were synthesized in both narrative form and as tabulated evidence by pest and intervention. The dominant pest complex comprises fruit flies (Bactrocera spp.), lepidopteran borers (Helicoverpa, Spodoptera), Bemisia tabaci, thrips, aphids and leafminers. Yield losses average 30 percent under poor management and exceed 70 percent in severe outbreaks. Utilizing insecticides on a calendar basis encourages resistance, diminishes beneficial insect populations, leads to pesticide residues, and causes water contamination. Integrated strategies—such as sanitation, resistant varieties, biological control, biopesticides, and selective pesticides—minimize inputs while maintaining yields. Emerging precision tools (AI detection, IoT traps, mass trapping, ribonucleic acid interference, nano-formulations) improve targeting but need regulation, lower costs, and field validation. The adoption of new practices is constrained by inadequate extension systems, concerns regarding product quality, disjointed supply chains, and the risk aversion exhibited by farmers. A four-pillar roadmap is proposed: ecological monitoring with thresholds, validated bio/botanical tools, farmer training with incentives, and supportive policy frameworks.