Biocontrol agents

Have you ever been curious about the role of biocontrol agents in agriculture? Microbes are microscopic organisms that can’t be seen with the naked eye. While some microbes are beneficial, others can be harmful. This article delves into the world of biocontrol agents, exploring their types, methods, and effectiveness in pest management. We aim to provide a thorough overview of how these agents interact with target pests and how they can be used efficiently and cost-effectively.

Introduction to Biocontrol Agents

Biocontrol agents are natural organisms or substances used to manage pests and plant diseases. These agents are key tools for reducing pest populations and achieving healthier, pest-free crops. They target harmful pests like weeds, insects, and mites, while being harmless to beneficial soil organisms. Utilizing biocontrol methods can significantly reduce our dependence on chemical pesticides.

Also Read: Are We Not Lucky That Plants Reproduce Sexually

What Are Biopesticides?

Biopesticides are derived from natural sources, including plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides work by targeting pests and diseases. Biopesticides fall into two main categories: microbial pesticides and biochemical pesticides. Unlike traditional insecticides and chemical pesticides, biopesticides are designed to be safer for humans and the environment.

1. Biocontrol Methods

This method refers to using one type of living organism (insects, diseases, or grazing animals) to control a different type of living organism. It typically eliminates insect and weed infestations. To manage the spread of invasive plant species, biocontrol methods offer a sustainable and long-lasting solution. These methods rely on natural processes where various organisms, including animals, help maintain ecological balance through mechanisms such as parasitism and predation. Scientists have divided these biological control techniques into three main categories, which are outlined below.

2. Introduction method

This method involves the deliberate release of a beneficial species into an ecosystem to restore balance and control pest populations.

3. Augmentation method

Augmentation focuses on increasing the population of beneficial organisms at specific times to enhance their effectiveness in managing pest populations.

4. Conservation method

Conservation methods aim to protect and enhance natural enemies of pests. This can be achieved by reducing the use of broad-spectrum pesticides and improving the habitat for beneficial organisms.

Also Read: Are We Not Lucky That Plants Reproduce Sexually

Types of Biocontrol Strategies

Biological control methods can be broadly classified into two main strategies:

• Classical Biocontrol: Classical biocontrol involves the introduction of natural enemies from the pest’s native region to control invasive pest species.

• Inductive Biocontrol: Inductive biocontrol involves the release of a high number of natural enemies to target a specific pest. This approach often uses agents like nematodes for effective pest management.

Other types include

• Microbes (bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms or their metabolites or cell fragments) that can kill pests or outcompete and prevent diseases.
• Semiochemicals are chemical signals produced by plants or animals that influence the behavior of pests. These compounds act as message-bearing agents, altering or disrupting the normal behaviors of pests to manage and control their populations effectively.

Different Biological Control Agents

Here are some key types of biocontrol agents used in pest management:

1. Fungi

Fungi are effective biocontrol agents that can suppress pests and diseases without harming the environment. For example, Entomophaga is used against green peach aphids.

Ex:- Entomophaga (effective against the green peach aphid)

2. Predators

Predators are organisms that feed on pests throughout their life cycle. Examples include spiders, dragonflies, and lacewings, which help manage pest populations.

3. Bacteria

Bacteria, such as Bacillus thuringiensis, can infect and kill pests. These bacteria target pest digestive systems, reducing their populations.

4. Virus

Viruses can be very specific to their hosts, making them potential biocontrol agents. Ongoing research is exploring viruses for their pest-targeting capabilities.

5. Parasitoids

Parasitoids lay eggs in or on host pests, eventually killing them. This method helps control pest populations through natural predation.

Also Read: Apoplast

Characteristics of Effective Biocontrol Agents

For biocontrol agents to be effective, they must satisfy a range of specific criteria. Below are some of these essential requirements.

• It should be able to colonise and multiply itself.
• It has the capacity to outlast competitors and endure longer in soil and host tissue
• It must not be pathogenic to the surroundings and not even to the hosts.
• A long shelf life after production must be present in biomass.
• A full expression of the agent must be allowed during delivery and application.
• It should possess a strong ability to search.
• And must include high rates of predation or parasitism
• shortest possible handling time capacity to endure at low prey densities
• Adaptability to a variety of environmental situations
• It must not be pathogenic to both plants and animals and be a strong competitor.
• Able to prevent or remove multiple pathogens
• have a high likelihood of survival in soil or host tissues

Advantages of Bio Control Agents

Biological control is a highly specialised and effective method.

Most of the time, predators will only control the population of the pest it is supposed to manage, making it a green alternative to chemical or mechanical pest control which is generally very hazardous.

• Very little effort is needed to maintain it running smoothly.
• Biological control may ultimately be more affordable.
• When a predator is introduced, it frequently reduces the pest population due to its natural instincts to seek out and manage those pests.
• Protection of biodiversity in managed ecosystems.
• Safety for humans and other non-target organisms;
• Are persistent, and able to kill throughout the season or life of the crop

Disadvantages of Biological Control

It is not always good in every manner. Here are some of the biological control’s drawbacks:

• All the pests will become uncontrollable in the end.
• It is designed to control a single problem and there is always the chance that the predator will switch to a different prey.
• This is a very time taking process but other treatments, such as insecticides, produce immediate results. Biological control has a long-term effect. It needs patience.
• Predators can only exist if they have food, so removing their food supply would threaten their survival so biological control is not the way to go if we want to entirely eradicate a problem. They can only lower the number of hazardous pests as the final result.
• A successful system of biological control takes a lot of time and money to design.
• Can sometimes fail in its specificity