Lecture Note #1: Biocontrol As an Approach for IPM

What is biological control Explain with examples?

biological control, the use of living organisms to control pests. A natural enemy such
as a parasite, predator, or disease organism is introduced into the environment of a pest
or, if already present, is encouraged to multiply and become more effective in reducing
the number of pest organisms.

What is the best definition for biological control?

Biological control is the use by humans of beneficial insects such as predators and
parasitoids, or pathogens such as fungi and viruses, to control unwanted insects,
weeds, or diseases. Biological control dates back to 324 BC, when Chinese growers
were recorded using ants to feed on citrus pests.

Some notable examples of classical biological control include the use of decapitating

flies (several Pseudacteon species) against red imported fire ants, and a group of
flea beetles, thrips, and stem borers used against alligator weed.

In a biological control program, our natural enemies include the three P's: predators,
parasitoids and pathogens. Proper pest identification is the first step to understanding
which natural enemies will provide effective pest management.

What are three basic biological pest control strategies?

There are three general approaches to biological control; importation, augmentation
and conservation of natural enemies. Each of these techniques can be used either
alone or in combination in a biological control program.

Why is biological pest control important?

Biological control is particularly desirable because the tactic is environmentally safe,
energy self-sufficient, cost-effective, sustainable, and can be readily incorporated
into integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Furthermore, in many cases
benefits from the use of natural enemies accrue at no additional cost

Why is biological pest control used?

The biological controls available to home gardeners are either predators or pathogenic
nematodes. Biological controls can have advantages over pesticides which are usually
broad spectrum and can kill a wide range of invertebrates: Biological controls cause no
damage to plants and do not leave residues.

What are the four major ways of biological control?

The four major ways are by what has been called Augmentive Biological Control,
Classical Biological Control (otherwise known as Inoculative Biological Control),
Inundative Biological Control, and Manipulative Biological Control.

What is biological control of insects pests?

Biological control involves the mass-production and release of natural enemies
such as parasitoids and predators to control pest insects in an environmentally
sound manner. Radiation is used to increase the applicability, cost-effectiveness and
safety of rearing, shipping and deploying such natural enemies

What are the characteristics of biological control?

The principal attributes of an effective biological control agent are: efficient searching
ability, high parasitism or predation rate, high reproductive potential, minimal handling
time, ability to survive at low prey densities and ability to adapt to a wide range of
environmental conditions.

What are the components of biological control system?

These control systems consist of the same functional components as the engineering
control system: sensors, controllers, actuators, and the controlled process itself
What are biocontrol methods of controlling pests in agriculture?
Biocontrol is a progressive and environment friendly way to control the pest. It leaves
behind no chemical residues that may have a harmful impact on humans or other
organisms. Importation, augmentation and conservation of natural enemies form the
three basic approaches to biological control.

How effective is biological pest control?

On average, biocontrol agents significantly reduced plant size (28 ± 4%), plant mass
(37 ± 4%), flower and seed production (35 ± 13% and 42 ± 9%, respectively) and
target plant density (56 ± 7%).

What is the advantage of biological control in agriculture?

Today, biological control is used primarily for controlling pests in crop cultivation.
Advantages of biological control are that no artificial substances are added, and that
pathogens / animals that develop resistance against biological control agents are rare.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of biological pest control?

Biological control can either be less or more expensive than pesticides. You can incur
significant expense studying, choosing, testing and breeding a bioagent. However, in
cases in which bioagents are applied to low-level pest populations, pest control can be
long-term and inexpensive

What are the 5 categories of biological agents?

Biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their
associated toxins

What is the benefit of biological control?

Advantages of biological control? Biocontrol is: environmentally friendly because it
causes no pollution and affects only the target (invasive) plant. self-perpetuating or self-
sustaining and therefore permanent.

What is the role of biological control in IPM?

In all several IPM tactics there is biological pests control are useful technique
that discourage the development of populations of harmful organisms. The
manipulation of beneficial organ- isms or natural enemies remains a very important tool
in integrated pest management program of insect-pests all over the world.

What is the conclusion for biological pest control?

Conclusion

Biological control is a technique of controlling pests, that is, mites, insects,

weeds, and plant diseases by using other microorganisms. Biopesticide is used for
the modification of development of insect and behavior exerts unique approach for
management of insect population

What are the disadvantages of biological pest control?

Disadvantages of biological control

 Biological control agents are expensive to find. ...
 Suitable agents may not even exist.
 Potential agents are also expensive to test for specificity.

What are the 6 biological principles?

Six biology principles: Organization and function, adaptation, response to the

environment, growth and development, reproduction, and Homeostasis

What are biological agents in plants?

Biological Control Agent (BCA) can be defined as the use of natural efficient strains
of any microorganisms or modified organisms that reduce the incidence or
severity of diseases caused by plant pathogens.

What are the 3 categories of biological agents?

Bioterrorism Agents
 Category A agents are considered the highest risk and the highest priority.
 Category B agents are the second highest priority.
 Category C agents are the third highest priority and include emerging pathogens
that could be engineered for mass spread in the future.

Which of the following is an example of a biological control agent?

Natural enemies of insect pests, also known as biological control agents, include
predators, parasitoids, and pathogens.

Which is the best way of preventing pest problems?

Good hygiene, tidy housekeeping and effective insect exclusion will generally
discourage vermin. The best way to deal with pests is to exclude them from your
premises completely. Even if you do not have a current problem measures should be
taken to ensure that pests cannot enter your premises

Why should biological control of pests and pathogens preferred?

They have been shown to have no negative impacts on plants mammals, birds, fish or
even I on non-target insects. They are especially desirable when beneficial insects
are being conserved r to aid in an overall integrated pest management (IPM)
programme, or when an ecologically sensitive area is being treated

What are the five most important biological concepts?

The following are key concepts/big ideas in biology:
 All organisms share a common set of essential life processes. ...
 Organisms interact with each other and with their environment. ...
 Species arise, change, and become extinct over time. ...
 Genetics maintain continuity plus allow for change

What are examples of biological control of plants?

In addition to antagonism, biological control can also be achieved by using avirulent
strains of pathogen species. A classical example of within-pathogen-species
competition is from the release of avirulent Aspergillus flavus Link genotypes, which
reduces the contamination of cotton and other crops by aflatoxin

Why is biological control of plant diseases important?

(1) Biological control is less costly and cheaper than any other methods. (2) Biocontrol
agents give protection to the crop throughout the crop period. (3) They do not cause
toxicity to the plants. (4) Application of biocontrol agents is safer to the environment and
to the person who applies them

What are the 5 biological techniques?

Most important techniques are Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Expression
cloning, Gel electrophoresis, Macromolecule blotting and probing, Arrays (DNA
array and protein array)

What are the three biological principles?

The first—purely biological—dimension embraces the three main principles variation,
heredity, and selection structured in nine key concepts that form the core idea of
natural selection.

What are biological hazards in vegetables?

Biological hazards include microbiological contaminants such as Escherichia coli,
Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogenic microorganisms in the
soil. The greatest risk is when vegetables and fruits are consumed without being
washed

How do organic farmers use biological pest control?

In order to minimize the usage of synthetic pesticides, biological pest control is used.
This is a method which uses other organisms to control insects, mites, weeds and plant
diseases which rely on predation, parasitism, and herbivory or some other natural
mechanisms, including an active human management role

What is an example of biocontrol agent in organic farming?

List of Bio-Control Agents. Insect Predators such as spiders, flies, ladybugs, wasps,
beetles, and dragonflies.