The protection of agricultural crops, forest, and man and his domestic animals from annoyance and damage by various kinds of pests remains a chronic problem. As we endeavor to improve pro duction processes and to develop more effective and acceptable tactics for achieving this protection, we must give high priority to all potentially useful techniques for the control and management of insects. Pest control is recognized as an acceptable and necessary part of modern agriculture. Methods employed vary greatly and tend to reflect compromises involving 3 determining factors: technological capability, economic feasibility, and social acceptability. How ever, these factors are also subject to change with time since each involves value judgments that are based on available information, cost, benefit considerations, the seriousness of the pest problem, and the political climate. Whatever method is chosen, energy resources continue to dwindle under the impact of increasing popu lation, and it is inevitable that greater reliance must be placed upon renewable resources in pest management. One alternative is the use of a pest management method that uses the energy of the pest's own biomass to fuel a self-perpetuating control system. The use of biological control agents for the control of pests has long been an integral part of the pest management strategy in crop production and forestry and in the protection of man and animals. The importance and unique advantages of the method are well recognized; numerous treatises deal with accomplishments and methodologies.

Publisher Description

As well as examining successful biological control programmes this book analyses why the majority of attempts fail. Off-target and other negative effects of biological control are also dealt with. Chapters contributed by leading international researchers and practitioners in all areas of biological control afford the book a breadth of coverage and depth of analysis not possible with a single author volume. Combined with the use of other experts to review chapters and editorial oversight to ensure thematic integrity of the volume, this book provides the most authoritative analysis of biological control published. Key aspects addressed include how success may be measured, how successful biological control has been to date and how may it be made more successful in the future. With extensive use of contemporary examples, photographs, figures and tables this book will be invaluable to advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as being a `must' for all involved in making biological control successful.

This text provides readers with an in-depth exploration of how biological control functions and how it can be safely employed to solve pest problems and enhance nature conservation. It covers the principles behind biological control techniques and their implementation, and incorporates practical examples from the biological control of a variety of pests. It contains detailed chapters on conserving natural enemies through environmental management, importation of new natural enemies for control of pests, augmentation of natural enemies through rearing and release, and the development and application of pathogens and biopesticides.

This book enhances our understanding of biological control, integrating historical analysis, theoretical models and case studies in an ecological framework.