Biological control:
is a type of pest management that reduces pest populations by using living organisms.
This approach is based on the idea that natural predators can manage insect populations more effectively than artificial pesticides, which have potential hazards to the environment and human health.
Agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and urban areas are just a few of the settings where biological management might be applied. Biological control,
for instance, is employed in agriculture to manage pests that harm crops.
This can apply to weeds, mites, and insects. Mosquitoes, cockroaches, and rats are just a few of the pests that can be managed in metropolitan environments via biological control.
The introduction of pest species' natural enemies is one of the most often utilized biological management strategies.
This can be accomplished by bringing in natural enemies from places where they already have a presence or by encouraging the expansion of natural enemies that are already present.
For instance, to reduce pest populations in agriculture, parasitic wasps and ladybugs might be introduced.
Without endangering the crops, these natural enemies fight the pests and lower their population. Birds can be encouraged to nest in urban areas to reduce cockroach and mosquito populations.
The use of pheromones to prevent pests from mating is another biological control strategy.
Insects create pheromones, which are chemicals, to communicate with one another. Pests' mating habits can be disturbed with the release of artificial pheromones, which lowers their number.
The types of biological control
Biological control comes in a variety of forms, including:
Classical biological control: In order to control a pest species, a natural enemy species is placed in a new location. The insect's natural adversary is usually from its native region, and it is carefully examined to make sure it won't turn into a pest itself.
Augmentative biological control: This involves releasing large numbers of natural enemies into an area to control a pest population. The natural enemies are bred in a laboratory and released into the environment.
Conservation biological control: This involves promoting the growth and preservation of natural enemies that are already present in an area. This can be done by providing habitats for natural enemies, such as planting specific plant species that attract them.
Biological Control Agents :
Biological control agents are living organisms that are used to control the population of pests or invasive species. These agents include:
Predators:
Natural predators can be used to control pest populations. For example, ladybugs are often used to control aphids in agriculture.
Parasitoids:
Parasitoids are insects that lay their eggs inside the bodies of other insects. The parasitoid larvae then feed on the host insect, eventually killing it. Parasitoids can be used to control a variety of pests, including caterpillars, flies, and beetles.
Pathogens:
Pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can be used to control pest populations. For example, a specific strain of bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is often used to control caterpillar pests.
Pheromones:
Pheromones are chemical substances that are produced by insects to communicate with each other. Synthetic pheromones can be used to disrupt the mating behavior of pests, which reduces their population.
Herbivores:
Herbivores are organisms that feed on plants. Some herbivores can be used to control invasive plant species. For example, goats and sheep are sometimes used to control the growth of invasive plants in natural areas.
Competitors:
Competitors are organisms that compete with pests for resources such as food, shelter, and breeding sites. For example, introducing a non-invasive plant species that competes with an invasive plant species can help control the growth of the invasive plant.
biological control is a diverse and effective method of pest management that involves using living organisms to control pest populations.
Different methods and types of biological control can be used depending on the specific pest and environment, but all share a commitment to sustainability and the protection of the environment.
Benefits of Biological control VS chemical pesticides
Biological control has several advantages over chemical pesticides
Biological control has several advantages over chemical pesticides.
First of all,
it is a more sustainable and environmentally friendly method of pest management.
Chemical pesticides can have negative effects on the environment, including contaminating water sources and killing non-target species.
Biological control, on the other hand, uses natural enemies that are already present in the environment or can be easily introduced.
Second,
biological control can be more cost-effective in the long term.
While the initial cost of introducing natural enemies or pheromones may be higher than the cost of chemical pesticides, the long-term benefits of using biological control can outweigh the costs.
For example, biological control can lead to a reduction in the use of chemical pesticides, which can save farmers and land managers money in the long term.
Last but not least,
biological control can be used in a targeted way, which reduces the risk of harm to non-target species.
Chemical pesticides can harm non-target species, including beneficial insects and birds.
This has a negative impact not only on the environment and human health but also on the agricultural process itself.
One of the reasons is that the reproduction of harmful pests and insects is much faster than the beneficial ones that feed on them, which leads to the reproduction of harmful pests more than normal.
This causes severe infection, which leads to severe damage to agricultural crops.
In short times and until it is completely damaged unusually, which prompts the farmer to increase his consumption of insecticides and the number of sprays for prevention,
which means a greater material cost to the farmers, and do not forget the greater damage to the human person and the environment and get into a vicious circle
This is in addition to the emergence of pests with which chemical pesticides do not work, such as the white fly,
Which has become infecting with force and causing the transmission of diseases to plants as well and great economic losses due to the absence of its natural enemies,
On top of which is the ladybug, which we no longer see decorating fields and plants as before.
Biological control, on the other hand, can be targeted to specific pest species, which reduces the risk of harm to non-target species.
In summary,
biological control is a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of pest management that uses natural enemies to control pest populations.
In comparison to chemical pesticides, this method provides a number of benefits, including sustainability, affordability, and a targeted approach.
As the world continues to grapple with environmental challenges, biological control will become a necessary tool to manage pest populations while simultaneously preserving the environment.
» Back