Graham A. Matthews was a research entomologist in Africa from 1958 -1967 working on cotton in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and Nysasland. He joined Imperial College in 1967 but was seconded to Malawi from 1968-72. He has since been involved with cotton during visits to many countries in Africa, including Egypt, Sudan, Cote D'Ivoire, and to India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China and Australia. His research has been primarily on pesticide application technology, extending from agriculture to vector control.

Pesticides continue to be a major means of controlling pests and diseases of crops and have made a major contribution to increasing the world's food production. Despite the problem of developing pest and disease resistance to certain pesticides, and public concern about their indiscriminate use and side-effects, they are likely to remain the basis of integrated pest management programs.
However, as this book seeks to demonstrate, there is scope to improve both the safety and efficiency of crop protection methods. The emphasis of the book is on methods of assessment and on application techniques to particular categories of crops. Written by leading authorities from Europe and North America, the book provides detailed reviews of relevant topics. It is essential reading for all researchers, advanced students and professionals concerned with crop protection, whether from the disciplines of entomology, plant pathology, weed science or agricultural engineering.