Biological control of diseases and insects

• Defined as the reduction in attack of a crop species by a pathogen achieved using another living organism or organisms, including the host plant resistance as a natural and highly effective, form of biological control.
• Concept of direct or indirect effects.
• Direct effects by introduced antagonists.
• Indirect by the manipulation of the existing population to reduce disease as agronomic practices like soil amendment with organic matter to boost the microbial population.

Principles of biological control

• The biological control agents are crop defendants and beneficial insect friendly.
• Furthermore, it also boosts the hyperparamitism of the BCA.
• Biological control also aims to deliberate the introduction and establishment of natural enemies in areas they did not previously occur (largely used against pests of foreign origin).

Way of bio-control

• Collection and use of biotic agents, viz.; parasitoids and predators.
• Isolation and non-production of antagonizing microbial organisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, etc., that are known as microbial pesticides. Using plant-based materials that are known as botanical pesticides.
• It can be done by

1. Importation
2. Conservation
3. Augmentation (inoculative release)