Are avian predators effective biological control agents for rodent pest management in agricultural systems?

Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management

The manipulation of beneficial organisms remains a very important tool in integrated pest management programs of insect pests worldwide. This chapter describes the approaches to using biological control and a historical perspective of each. Recent developments in genetics, systematics, population dynamics, pesticide chemistry, and public opinion have led to increased scrutiny and inclusion of b...

Selective Pesticides and Biological Control in Walnut Pest Management

The walnut aphid, Chromaphis juglandicola is a pest known in California for more than 100 years. The introduction of the parasitic wasp Trioxys pallidus from Iran in 1969 led to a dramatic success in the biological control of walnut aphid populations in California, and has provided sustained control of this devastating pest for the past 39 years. However, in recent years we have seen renewed ou...

Biological pest control in Mexico.

Mexico is a megadiverse country that forms part of the Mesoamerican biological corridor that connects North and South America. Mexico's biogeographical situation places it at risk from invasive exotic insect pests that enter from the United States, Central America, or the Caribbean. In this review we analyze the factors that contributed to some highly successful past programs involving classica...

Generalist Predators, Food Web Complexities and Biological Pest Control in Greenhouse Crops

Unintended consequences of 21st century technology for agricultural pest management.

C ourtier-Orgogozo et al [1] argue that public debate and better governance are needed to properly control the use of gene editing for controlling pests in agriculture. They are correct in their assessment that this “could lead to multiple and uncoordinated releases of gene drives into the wild, which is likely to cause unpredictable ecological disturbances with farreaching consequences”. Howev...