Theory and Practice of Biological Control


Book Description

The Theory and Practice of Biological Control covers conventional biological control achievement in the major crop types and in public health problems. Composed of five sections encompassing 28 chapters, this book discusses the basic information concerning developments in other biologically based alternatives to chemical pesticides. The first two sections discuss the philosophy, theory, scope, history, and the biological and ecological bases of biological control. These sections also deal with the impact of predators and the host relationships of parasitoids and pathogens. The following section presents the methodological aspects of biological control. Discussions on the variability of natural enemies as encountered in biological control work; the fitness of individuals and populations; the ways fitness is being or can be influenced by importation procedures; and the ability of imported natural enemies to adapt to the new environment are included. The fourth section outlines the accomplishments of conventional biological control in various types of crops, forests, and public health areas. Lastly, the various components of integrated pest control other than conventional biological control that forms the essential ways used in the integrated control approach are covered in the last section of the book. This book is an ideal source for plant pathologists and researchers, microbiologists, parasitologists, and public health professionals.







Pest Control: Cultural And Environmental Aspects


Book Description

The field of pest control research, of increasing importance in a world short of food, has been plagued for many years by a variety of problems, among them (1) the instability (including pesticide resistance) of many control techniques, (2) the continuing need for improved pest management methods to increase world food supplies, and (3) the environmental and social hazards of currently used pesticides. What historical or other factors affect the ability of science to generate useful new technologies to alleviate these three major problems? Are there barriers to cooperation among the different pest control specialists? This book attempts to answer these questions, examining past events and projecting likely impacts on contemporary pest management systems. The authors--sociologists, economists, lawyers, ecologists, political scientists, and pest control scientists--examine the social, economic, political, and ethical factors that are important in shaping pest management systems, as well as developmental patterns that show the importance of these factors in shaping today's systems.




Biological Insect Pest Suppression


Book Description

The subject area embraced by the term "biological control" in its classical sense is very broad indeed. The term itself was apparently first used in 1919 by the late Harry S. Smith, and was then used specifically in reference to the suppression of insect populations by the actions of their indigenous or introduced natural enemies. The California school of biological control specialists who followed in Smith's footsteps have traditionally differentiated "natural" biological control (by indigenous natural enemies) and "applied" biological control (by man-introduced natural enemies). Subsequently, the philosophy broadened beyond the original narrow concern with population suppression of insects (and especially pest insects), to embrace directed activities against mites or other arthropod pests, various invertebrate and vertebrate pests, weeds, and organisms producing disease in humans or their domestic animals and plants. The techniques used in these activities also multiplied beyond the original concern with natural enemies. The subjects area discussed in this book is, at the same time, broader and more restricted than that covered in other books on "biological control. " On the one hand, the treatment here is restrictive in that, with rare exception, we have limited ourselves to dealing only with ideas and examples involving the suppression of insect pests through human activity or intervention in the environment.




Genetic Control of Insect Pests


Book Description

Genetic Control of Insect Pests focuses on laboratory and field trials of genetic control methods of insects, which entails the use of insects to control themselves. It particularly describes species-specific and non-polluting genetic methods that have the advantage over most other methods of being efficient when the target insect is in low density, as the released insects have the capacity to search out the wild populations. Composed of nine chapters, the core parts of the book cover the mass-rearing, sterilization, and release of populations in the hope that these will mate with wild populations, leading to fertility reduction and population elimination. The book also examines techniques that use naturally existing population incompatibilities and techniques, which can result in population replacement rather than eradication with the intention to render such replacement populations harmless beforehand by genetic manipulation. This book is a valuable source of information for those who are searching for biological alternatives of insect pests control.







The Pesticide Conspiracy


Book Description

Professor van den Bosch of the University of California was one of the developers of Integrated Pest Management—the use of biological controls, improved pest knowledge and observation, and judicious application of chemicals only when absolutely necessary. His research often suggested that less or no pesticides should be applied, which made him the target of both open and clandestine attack from industry and government figures. In protest, he wrote this passionate account of what Ecology called "the ultimate social disaster of: evolving pesticide-resistant insects, the destruction of their natural predators and parasites, emergent populations of new insect pests, downstream water pollution, atmospheric pollution, the 'accidental' killing of wildlife and people, and the bankruptcies of indigenous and small farmers." As a new Introduction to this edition recounts, some lessening of dangerous overreliance on massive pesticide applications has been achieved since van den Bosch published this book in 1978—partly as a result of its influence. But the structural problems he described remain. The book has thus become a classic, along with Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.




Handbook of Biological Control


Book Description

For many years the use of chemical agents such as pesticides and herbicides has been effective in controlling the many varieties of pests that infest both agricultural crops and backyard gardens. However, these pests are gradually becoming resistant to these agents, because the agents themselves are acting as selective factors making the pests better and better able to resist and persist. As a result, the use of biological controlling agents is increasing. This book is a comprehensive and authoritative handbook of biological control.