Biological Control Of Insects Pests

The Book "e;Biological Control of Insects Pests"e; illustrates how to control biologically the insect's pests. It is important to know when numbers are great enough to justify artificial control and to evaluate the effectiveness of control. The text has been organized very systematically to meet the long-felt needs of increasingly large number of readers. Biological control is the use of living organisms to maintain pest populations below damaging levels. Natural enemies of arthropods fall into three major categories: predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. Predators catch and eat their prey. Some common predatory arthropods include ladybird beetles, carabid (ground) beetles, staphylinid (rove) beetles, syrphid (hover) files, lacewings, minute pirate bugs, nabid bugs, big-eyed bugs, and spiders. Biological control is the beneficial action of parasites, pathogens and predators in managing pests and their damage. Biocontrol provided by these living organisms, collectively known as natural enemies. It is especially important for reducing the number of pest insects and mites. Biological control is the beneficial action of parasites, pathogens, and predators in managing pests and their damage. Biocontrol provided by these living organisms, collectively called "e;natural enemies,"e; is especially important for reducing the numbers of pest insects and mites. Use of natural enemies for biological control of rangeland and wildland weeds is also effective. Plant pathogens, nematodes, and vertebrates also have many natural enemies, but this biological control is often harder to recognize, less well understood, and/or more difficult to manage. Conservation, augmentation, and classical biological control are tactics for harnessing natural enemies' benefits. The book will be highly useful for general entomologists, students of agricultural entomology, teachers and research scholars of zoology, especially entomology.

Pest and disease management continues to challenge the agricultural community. The rise in new pest and crop problems juxtaposed with public concern over pesticide use and more stringent environmental regulations creates the need for today's agricultural producers to stay current with new technologies for producing quality crops profitably. Biological and Biotechnological Control of Insect Pests presents an overview of alternative measures to traditional pest management practices, utilizing biological control and biotechnology. The removal of some highly effective broad-spectrum chemicals, caused by concerns over environmental health and public safety, has resulted in the development of alternative, reduced risk crop protection products. These products, less toxic to the environment and easily integrated into biological control systems, target specific life stages or pest species. Predation - recognized as a suitable, long term strategy - effectively suppresses pests in biotechnological control systems. Biological and Biotechnological Control of Insect Pests covers these topics and more. It explores the current approaches in alternative solutions such as: biological control agents, parasites and predators, pathogenic microorganisms, pheromones, botanical insecticides, genetic control, genetic engineering of plants and biocontrol agents, and government regulations for biocontrol agents and recombinant DNA technology. This book will be a useful resource to entomologists, agronomists, horticulturists, and environmental scientists.

A concise account examining the historical background of biological control.

Biological control?the use of beneficial organisms to control pests?represents a safe, effective, and economical alternative to the use of pesticides.Successful biological control relies on knowledge of pests and their natural enemies. This handsome publication covers basic biological information, supplies examples from common groups of insect predators, parasitic insects, nematodes, and insect pathogens.Learn how to enhance the effectiveness of natural enemies, what to know when ordering natural enemies, how to handle shipments, and how to assess the costs and feasibility of using natural enemies.Includes an extensive list of natural enemies organized by crop, a handy identification key of common natural enemies, and a list of resources for additional information.

The nature and scope of biological control; Ecological basis for biological control; The history and development of biological control; Entomophagous insects; Procedures in enemy introduction; Factors limiting success of introduced natural enemies; Analysis of classical biological control programs; Naturally occurring biological control and integrated control; Other biological methods of pest control; The future of biological control.

The book provides a reference to biological control of arthropod pests in agriculture and of public health importance in Iran. A quick glance over the literature shows a long history of biocontrol attempts in the country. Some historically important events highlighting the interest of Iranian academic, research and extension fields to the natural enemies and their applied aspects are provided. Iran, with an exception of the former USSR, was a pioneer in both basic and applied biocontrol in West Asia. The book consists of four parts: three parts for predators, parasitoids and pathogens, and last part for other approaches and analyses of the current state of biological control in Iran. The book provides the most up-to-date information on pest control and related topics of entomology in Iran. The chapters are written by scholars from major Universities and research centers in Iran.

The protection of agricultural crops, forest, and man and his domestic animals from annoyance and damage by various kinds of pests remains a chronic problem. As we endeavor to improve pro duction processes and to develop more effective and acceptable tactics for achieving this protection, we must give high priority to all potentially useful techniques for the control and management of insects. Pest control is recognized as an acceptable and necessary part of modern agriculture. Methods employed vary greatly and tend to reflect compromises involving 3 determining factors: technological capability, economic feasibility, and social acceptability. How ever, these factors are also subject to change with time since each involves value judgments that are based on available information, cost, benefit considerations, the seriousness of the pest problem, and the political climate. Whatever method is chosen, energy resources continue to dwindle under the impact of increasing popu lation, and it is inevitable that greater reliance must be placed upon renewable resources in pest management. One alternative is the use of a pest management method that uses the energy of the pest's own biomass to fuel a self-perpetuating control system. The use of biological control agents for the control of pests has long been an integral part of the pest management strategy in crop production and forestry and in the protection of man and animals. The importance and unique advantages of the method are well recognized; numerous treatises deal with accomplishments and methodologies.

This volume is a comprehensive treatment of how the principles of ecology and conservation biology can be used to maximize biological control. Conservation Biological Control presents various means to modify or manipulate the environment to enhance the activities of natural enemies of pests. It establishes a conceptual link between ecology and the agricultural use of agents for biological control, and discusses both theoretical issues as well as practical management concerns. Certain to be interesting to ecologists and entomologists, this volume will also appeal to scientists, faculty, researchers and students interested in pest management, horticulture, plant sciences, and agriculture. Contains chapters by an international team of leading authorities Establishes a conceptual link between ecology and the agricultural use of agents for biological control Discusses both theoretical issues as well as practical management concerns Provides specific examples of how conservation principles are used to maximize the biological control of pests