Biological Control

Biological Control
Biological control (BC) is the use of natural enemies to regulate pest populations to a level where they do not cause economic yield loss. Biological control usually involves the use of parasitoids, predators or insect pathogens. Parasitoids live on -or in- a pest specie usually feeding on it until it reaches maturity. The pest host ultimately dies. Predators feed on their prey to live. Pathogens kill their hosts through disease caused by organisms like virus, bacteria and fungi. Antagonists are fungal or bacterial agents that can be used for biological control of diseases in plants.

Classical BC is the introduction of natural enemies to a new locale where they did not originate or do not occur naturally to control pests that are usually introduced. Conservation of natural enemies is mainly protecting and maintaining existing populations of natural enemies. Augmentation involves deliberate action to increase and/or make more effective natural enemy populations, either through inundative releases or manipulating of the environment. Parabiological control (e.g.use of sex pheromones) is the manipulation of the pest or the pest’s resources to favor population management.

More information on Biological Control can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_pest_control
http://cipm.ncsu.edu/ent/biocontrol/
http://books.google.co.th/books?id=tcazZ-shA_QC&printsec=frontcover&dq=biological+control&source=bl&ots =fYkStKVv6V&sig=jsFNuEfl9IqB5M16sEfv1-KFiEs&hl=th&ei=vSB1S8n7CYbe-QaU-OGcBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct= result&resnum=3&ved=0CBgQ6AEwAg#v =onepage&q=&f=false