Ecosystem Analysis for the Introduction of Integrated Pest Control

Abstract

Abstract Concern over pesticide pollution of the atmosphere and increased resistance of numerous species of insects to insecticides has caused entomologists to seek alternate means of control of pest insect populations. Recently the term “pest management” has been coined for the Integration of the various available control measures for pest populations into Systems that minimize the use of insecticides. New emphasis has been placed on the potential utilization of biological control agents for the control of pest populations. Basically, the following presentation will consider ecosystem analysis of the use of parasites and predators both in attempts to establish the agents as permanent, recurring controls and in inundative release attempts to replace insecticides on a short-term basis. The examples cited pertain mainly to two cotton pests, the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), and the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie). The bollworm is a horticultural pest attacking corn, tomatoes, beans and a host of other crops; the pink bollworm is restricted to cotton. However, the concepts and the approach to the introduction of integrated control is similar, regardless of the crop under consideration. An analytical approach will be employed. However, a paralleling use of the data for the development of models for insect population dynamics is possible (20).