The great thing about organic farming is that organic farmers only use organic pest control methods to eliminate pests. It is not only an eco-friendly way but also an efficient strategy.
Among all of the organic pest control methods, biological pest control is the most effective way to control pests. Thus, most farmers use this method to control pests. But do you know how they use biological pest control?
In this method, organic farmers use a system where some are kept at manageable levels to kill other pests. For example, they release ladybugs on the farm to get rid of aphids. Let’s learn in more detail about how organic farmers use biological pest control below.
How Does Biological Pest Control Work?
Biological pest control is a method of pest management that uses living organisms to control the population of pests. These beneficial organisms can be predators, parasites, or pathogens that are naturally found in the environment. Here is how it works –
1.Predators: Some predatory insects and animals are used in this pest control strategy. Ladybugs, lacewings, and spiders are examples of insects that prey on common crop pests like aphids and mites. For this, these types of insects are used to control pests.
2.Parasitoids: Parasitoids are insects that lay their eggs on or inside pest insects. As the parasitoid larvae develop, they feed on and eventually kill the host pest. Wasps like Trichogramma and Braconid are commonly used parasitoids in organic farming.
3.Pathogens: Certain pathogens, such as nematodes, bacteria, and fungi, are also used as biopesticides by organic farmers. These microorganisms can infect and kill specific pest species while leaving beneficial insects and other organisms unharmed.
How Do Organic Farmers Use Biological Pest Control – Step By Step Guide
Now you know what is used for biological pest control, you may wonder how they use this method. Organic farmers basically use three biological pest control strategies: importation (classical biological control), augmentation, and conservation. Let’s explore them below.
1. Importation
Importation is classical biological pest management in organic farming where natural enemies of pests are released to the farm if they aren’t found there naturally. Here farmers use biological control agents that have colonizing ability and temporal persistence to maintain the population of the predator insect or animal.
2. Augmentation
Augmentation refers to boosting the naturally occurring population of the natural enemies to pests. Farmers release control agents to boost predators, parasitoids, or pathogens against pests. This is an effective strategy but farmers need to understand the situation before implementing this to make it work.
3. Conservation
Conservation refers to conserving existing natural enemies that have already adapted to the habitat and target pests. Farmers modify cropping systems to provide a suitable habitat for the natural enemies of pests. This is a cost-effective natural solution against pests.
How To Determine Which Biological Pest Control Should Be Used?
So basically, organic farmers purchase and release beneficial insects into their fields to control pests. But how do they determine which insect can be beneficial for them? For this, they gather knowledge about the plants on their farm, the pests that can attack their plans, and the natural enemies of those pests.
Here is a list of pests that can attack organic farms and the natural enemies for the pests:
| Environmental Enemies | Pests |
| weevil Predatory thrips, Bathy plectes wasps, Tetrastichus incertus Aphid Aphid midge, aphid parasitoids, syrphid fly, ladybirds, parasitic wasp, big-eyed bug, damsel bug, mealybug destroyer, soldier beetle, lacewing, braconid wasp, predatory thrips, rove beetle | Alfalfa |
| Big-eyed bug, braconid wasp, spined soldier bug, tachinid fly | Armyworm |
| Braconid wasp | Beetles |
| Predatory thrips | Bud moth |
| Tachinid fly | Cabbage looper |
| Ground beetle, rove beetle | Cabbage-root maggots |
| Braconid wasp | Cabbageworm |
| Assassin bug, lacewing, Trichogramma and braconid wasps, damsel bug, minute pirate bug | Caterpillars in general |
| Braconid wasp, predatory thrips, Trichogramma wasp | Codling moth |
| Ground beetle, spined soldier bug | Colorado potato beetle |
| Big-eyed bug, minute pirate bug, Trichogramma wasp, lacewing | Corn earworm |
| Trichogramma wasp | Cotton bollworm |
| Ground beetle, tachinid fly | Cutworms |
| Braconid wasp, Trichogramma wasp | European corn borer |
| Big-eyed bug | Flea beetles |
| Braconid wasp | Flies |
| Tachinid fly | Green stink bug |
| Braconid wasp, ground beetle, tachinid fly | Gypsy moth |
| Tachinid fly | Japanese beetle |
| Big-eyed bug, damsel bug, minute pirate bug | Leafhopper |
| Predatory thrips | Leafminer |
| Big-eyed bug, parasitic wasps | Looper |
| Big-eyed bug, braconid wasp, Anaphes iole, minute pirate bug, damsel bug | Lygus |
| Tachinid fly | May beetle |
| Ladybird, big-eyed bug, mealybug destroyer, lacewing | Mealybugs |
| Spined soldier bug | Mexican bean beetle |
| Ladybird, big-eyed bug, lacewing, minute pirate bug, predatory mites, mirids | Mites |
| Rove beetle | Nematodes |
| Predatory thrips | Oriental fruit moth, Peach twig borer |
| Big-eyed bug | Psyllids |
| Spined soldier bug, tachinid fly | Sawfly |
| Lacewing, predatory thrips | Scales |
| Ground beetle, parasitic nematodes | Slugs |
| Ground beetle | Snails |
| Ladybird | Soft scales |
| Tachinid fly | Sowbug |
| Ladybird, minute pirate bug, predatory mite, predatory thrips, spider mite destroyer | Spider mite |
| Rove beetle | Springtails |
| Trichogramma wasp | Spruce budworm |
| Tachinid fly | Squash bug |
| Ground beetle, tachinid fly | Tent caterpillar |
| Ladybird, minute pirate bug, big-eyed bug, damsel bug, lacewing | Thrips |
| Big-eyed bug, assassin bug, Trichogramma wasp | Tomato hornworm |
| Damsel bug | Treehoppers |
| Lacewing, predatory thrips, whitefly parasitic wasp | Whiteflies |
According to this list above, organic farmers can easily determine which predator insect needs to be released on their farm against which pest and can take action accordingly. Thus, organic farmers use biological pest control.
Conclusion
In the Biological pest control method, farmers use beneficial organisms to manage pests. It simply reduces the reliance on harmful synthetic chemicals and protects the environment. We hope now you have a clear concept of how do organic farmers use biological pest control after reading this article. If you still have any confusion regarding this topic, feel free to tell us in the comment section below. Thanks for reading and happy farming!!!
People Also Asked (Paa)
1.What Is An Example Of A Biocontrol Agent In Organic Farming?
Trichoderma (fungus) and Baculoviruses are some of the microbial biocontrol agents that are used in organic farming as biological pest control agents. Bacillus Thuringiensis controls the larvae of black flies, butterfly caterpillars, and wax moths. Beauveria Bassiana (fungus) acts as a biopesticide for bugs, mites, whiteflies, aphids, etc.
2.How Can We Use Biological Methods To Control Pest?
To use biological methods to control pests, we have to introduce new natural enemies, establish a permanent population for them, and make conservation of existing natural enemies. You can release these natural enemies periodically either on a seasonal basis or inundatively to control them.