Biological control of pests in Ukraine: legacy from the past and challenges for the future.

Abstract

Abstract Biological control has a long and rich history in Ukraine which is closely linked with other countries of the Former Soviet Union, and some relevant studies from these countries are also included in this review. The use of natural enemies against Ukrainian insect pests demonstrates that biological control approaches have enjoyed a degree of success. The release of Aphelinus mali in a classical biological control programme against the woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum , was successful. In contrast, the release of the hemipterans, Perillus bioculatus and Podisus maculiventris , against the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata , was not successful, and studies in the use of these hemipterans as biological control agents continue. Conservation biological control is practised in apple and cereal cropping systems resulting in a number of predators and parasitoids being preserved. Augmentation of natural enemies, especially predatory mites against the spider mite Tetranychus urticae in greenhouse cucumber and tomato production, has provided suppression of this pest. Various strains of Bacillus thuringiensis are being used inundatively against Lepidopteran, coleopteran and mosquito pests. A granulovirus has been studied for use against the codling moth ( Cydia pomonella ), and the fungus, Beauveria bassiana , is being evaluated against several insect pests. Entomopathogenic nematodes have generated some interest for future use in Ukraine as potential biological control agents against soil-inhabiting pests. Although biological control programmes have been practised for many years, the agricultural sector in Ukraine is moving from a command to a market economy. The latter economy is profit-driven and relies more on chemical pesticide usage. The challenge is to integrate biological control programmes into the market economy.