Natural Enemies of Sugar Beet

Abstract

AbstractNatural enemies have recently gained much interest because of the problems encountered by the use of pesticides and environmental concerns. Because sugar beet crop is a food crop, it is wise to avoid or minimize the use of pesticides. The indiscriminate use of pesticides may lead to outbreaks of leaf-feeding and sucking pests. There is a need for more emphasis on the augmentation and conservation of natural enemies. Natural enemies are found to manage the aphids effectively, and farmers are to be advised not to apply insecticides and to encourage the natural build-up of parasitoids and predators. Using of natural enemies is very economical, ecologically sound, and capable of giving more or less permanent control. The only expenditure involved is at the development stage, i.e. the study of natural enemies to understand their life history, seasonal cycle, ecological adaptations, population dynamics, and the development of suitable methods to produce them in sufficient numbers for release against insect-pests.KeywordsSugar beetNatural enemiesAugmentationConservation