Chemical and biological control: 100 Years of research and adoption in the US

AGRO 99

Leonard P. Gianessi, lgianessi@croplifefoundation.org, Crop Protection Research Institute, CropLife Foundation, 1156 15th Street NW #400, Washington, DC 20005
Chemical and biological controls for insects have coexisted in the US for the past one hundred years. For many key insect pests,effective biological controls have not been established and their control is completely dependent on insecticide use.Some biological control organisms can not be used effectively because insecticides used to control key pests reduce their populations as well.On the other hand,the development of some selective insecticides has facilitated the expanded use of biological control organisms in some crops.The decision to use biological controls, chemical controls or their integrated use is economic with the farmer choosing to use the most cost-effective technique.In some cases,farmers have relied on partially-effective biological controls until more effective insecticides have been introduced.In other cases,farmers have come to rely on a biological control and reduced their insecticide use.