Biological methods for pests and diseases control in agricultural plants
M V Shavanov, Ilyas Shigapov, Ahsan Niaz
Abstract
There are different ways of controlling pests and diseases in plants in agriculture among which biological and chemical methods are the most widespread. Biological approaches broadly can be defined as the use of non- chemical and environmentally friendly methods, while the latter is an application of chemical pesticides to reduce pest and disease influence on plants. Chemicals are applied to protect plants from pests and diseases, but the plant itself can be damaged by the toxic effect of the protection products. It also causes detrimental health effects to human beings and pollutes the environment. Biological control has been increasingly used in recent decades because of its safety, species-specific and long-term action on the target pests. This paper was designed to cover the common three biological methods of controlling pests and diseases in plants. These are conservation, classical and augmentation biological controls. The former is modified agronomic practices that are applied to protect and enhance the efficacy of natural enemies of pests, the second method is to import natural predators and pathogens of the pest into a particular area to protect a crop or livestock, and the latter method is to inoculate and inundate natural predators and pathogens which already present in an area and control a particular pest in order to increase them in numbers. This paper does not focus on biological methods in particular crops, pest species or diseases but rather it emphasizes the effect, importance and prospects of applying biocontrol practices and products.