Abstract
Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanaceae), is a vegetable commodity which originated in the South American Andes, and is consumed worldwide today. Tomato is attacked by a number of pests causing damage not only to the fruit and stem but also to the root system of the plant. Because of these pests, insecticides are used, overusage of which leads to the development of resistance in pests, and human and environmental health hazards. Fortunately, biological control of tomato pests is a feasible alternative to using chemical insecticides. Biological control tactics including importation, augmentation, and conservation biocontrol are employed worldwide. Biocontrol agents involved in these studies include bacteria, entomopathogenic fungi, yeast, predatory insects, parasitoids, and entomopathogenic nematodes. The results of greenhouse, laboratory, and field-based studies indicate that the potential of biocontrol agents can be increased by understanding the pest–natural enemy interactions. The various biocontrol agents, their potentials, and limitations, as well as suggested management tactics to support biological control in tomato are presented in this chapter.
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