Biological control, citrus

Biological and Natural Controls. Parasites and predators are effective in limiting the numbers of pest Insects and plant pathogens both in nature and for crops (35). This basic fact led to the development of biological controls. For example, the vedalia beetle, which was Introduced for control of cottony cushion scale on citrus in California, has provided continuous effective control of this pest for many decades. Worldwide only approximately 1% of the pests have been effectively controlled by Introduced biological control agents (43). 

Habeck, D.H. (1977). The potential of using insects for biological control of weeds in citrus. Proc. Inti. Soc. Citriculture, 1 146-148. Hall, D. and D.P.H. Tucker (1987). Prevention is the best strategy for combating goatweed. Citrus Ind., 68 34-38. 

Hoy, M. A. andR. Nguyen, Classical biological control of Asian citrus psyUa. Citrus Ind. 81 48-50, 2001. 

Michaud, J. R, Biological control of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera PsyUidae) in Florida A preliminary report. Entomol. News 113 216-222, 2002. 

Michaud, J. R, Classical biological control A critical review of recent programs against citrus pests in Florida. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 94 531-540, 2002. 

FANG J G and TSAO p H (1995), Efficacy of Penicillium funiculosum as a biological control agent against Phytophthora root rot of Azalea and Citrus , Phytopathology, 85,871-878. 

Biological predators. This method consists of releasing a biological predator to control the insect pest. In the United Kingdom its only successes have been in enclosed environments such as glasshouses. However, the technique was used very successfully nearly 100 years ago in California when the Australian ladybird beetle was introduced as a predator for cottony cushion scale which was ravaging citrus trees. 

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