Constraints to the implementation of biological control in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island with a rich diversity of arthropods, with many species of indigenous natural enemies of economic pests. However, no extensive island wide surveys have been carried out for natural enemies of major crop ecosystems and only a few of the indigenous natural enemies are reported useful for augmentation biological pest control by massive field releases of laboratory-produced insects. Most successful biological control programs on the island are importation (i.e. classical) biological control programs, where established exotic natural enemies control certain pest populations in valuable crops. There is growing interest in the use of native natural enemies in pest management, thus creating a need for intensive research on the ecology of indigenous natural enemies and development of infrastructure and technology to produce natural enemies for augmentation. This paper examines constraints and opportunities for implementation of biological control in Sri Lanka.     

害虫天敌的植物支持系统

保护天敌,使天敌长期有效地控制害虫是保护性生物防治的核心内容。其中,植物在维持和促进天敌控制害虫中的重要性和作用越来越受到关注。本文概述了各种支持天敌发挥效能的植物类群,论述了蜜源植物、储蓄植物、栖境植物、诱集植物、指示植物、护卫植物等在支持天敌生存和繁殖方面的生物功能,评述了研究和应用这些植物时需注意的问题,提出了科学利用这些植物以维持和增强农业生态系统中天敌发挥控害作用的植物支持系统,并指出了由于对这些植物类别的界定和定义模糊所带来的不便,给出了相应的建议。     

谈农林害虫的自然控制

人类的发展面临着许多问题,其中包括环境污染与害虫暴发失控等, 对策应是人类谋求与自然协调共存。人类必须学会既要和众多的非生命物又要和数千万种生物包括100多万种昆虫协调共存。天敌昆虫是大害虫的克星; 人类赖以生存的经济植物是由昆虫传播花粉的; 昆虫是人类的美味佳肴和医病良药; 有些昆虫是重要工业原料。所以人类要锐意合理利用昆虫资源。对于农林害虫要尽可能谋求自然控制; 提倡利用植物的抗害性、利用害虫的天敌、利用昆虫生长调节剂、种间信息物质、昆虫辐射不育技术控制害虫。尽量利用植物性杀虫剂控制害虫。尽量采用不杀伤或少杀伤天敌、不污染环境的化学杀虫剂或方法防治害虫。我国创造了很多行之有效的利用农业技术防治害虫的方法。     

Extracellular hydrolytic enzymes produced by entomopathogenic fungi--role in an infection process

Entomopathogenic fungi have a great potential in biological control of insect pest population. Fungal pathogens are promising source of insecticides and notable alterative to chemical pesticides. These fungi possess a unique mechanism of insects paralysis. As natural enemies of insects they attack direct host cuticle via a combination of mechanical pressure and cuticle-degrading enzymes. Entomopathogenic fungi produce several proteo-, chitino- and lipolytic enzymes, which are accepted as key factors in insect mycosis. The role of extracellular enzymes in pathogenesis is still not well understood. Profound understanding the mechanisms of insect paralysis by entomopathogenic fungi will help in the production of safer for environment and more efficiency mycoinsecticides.     

基于服务功能的昆虫生态调控理论

鉴于昆虫在植物传粉授精、害虫生物控制、土壤有机物分解中提供多种生态系统服务功能,本文在害虫生态调控、区域性害虫生态调控与生境管理的基础上,进一步提出基于多种生态服务功能的农田景观昆虫生态调控理论、方法与实践。认为:昆虫管理不仅仅是害虫的管理,还应包括有益昆虫(如传粉昆虫、天敌昆虫、分解昆虫)的管理,这种管理应从单一农田生态系统扩展到农田景观生态系统,充分考虑农田景观中昆虫的传粉功能、生物控害功能和分解功能,通过对功能植物、作物与非作物生境的空间布局以及时间序列上的生态设计,从空间上明确昆虫(包括害虫、天敌、传粉昆虫、分解昆虫)在不同生境中的转移扩散动态,从时间上掌握昆虫在不同寄主植物与非作物生境上的演替过程,从技术上着重发挥有利于昆虫的传粉功能、生物控害功能和分解功能的综合措施,在研究方法上突出使用稳定同位素、生态能量学、化学生态学等定量分析手段,研究景观区域内中"植物-昆虫"互作过程及其生态调控措施的作用,寻求不同时空条件下控害保益的关键措施,设计和组装出维持多功能的农田景观昆虫生态调控技术体系,创造有利于天敌控害、蜜蜂传粉、土壤分解的环境条件,以发挥昆虫类群在农田景观中最大的生态服务功能。     

Conservation biological control and IPM practices in Brassica vegetable crops in China

Brassicas are major vegetable crops in China but the systems for growing the crops are complex. During the last 30 years, the area of vegetable crops has increased steadily, however, the control of insect pests on brassica vegetables has largely relied on the heavy use of chemical insecticides, resulting in high levels of resistance, insecticide residues hazardous to human health and other serious consequences. Nevertheless, efforts to develop practical and sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for brassica vegetables have been implemented. Here we first review the work on surveys of natural enemies of insect pests in brassicas and describe the biology and ecology of a few important parasitoids. We then introduce the progress of conservation biological control by reviewing studies on evaluation of natural enemies and selective insecticides, the work on the development of action thresholds and some successful examples of IPM field trials at the cropping system level. The successful examples of IPM practices in brassicas show the great potential of conservation biological control to reduce chemical pesticide input and improve vegetable production in the future.     

Effects of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes on the protective microbiome of insects – a review

Symbiotic bacteria in herbivorous insects can have strong beneficial impacts on their host's survival, including conferring resistance to natural enemies such as parasitoid wasps or pathogens, while also imposing energetic costs on the host, resulting in cost‐benefit trade‐offs. Whether these trade‐offs favour the hosting of symbionts depends on the growth environment of the herbivore. Long‐term experimental grassland studies have shown that increasing plant species richness leads to an increased diversity of associated herbivores and their natural enemies. Such a change in natural enemy diversity, related to changes in plant diversity, could also drive changes in the community of symbionts hosted by the herbivorous insects. Aphids are one model system for studying symbionts in insects, and effects of host‐plant species and diversity on aphid‐symbiont interactions have been documented. Yet, we still understand little of the mechanisms underlying such effects. We review the current state of knowledge of how biodiversity can impact aphid‐symbiont communities and the underlying drivers. Then, we discuss this in the framework of sustainable agriculture, where increased plant biodiversity, in the form of wildflower strips, is used to recruit natural enemies to crop fields for their pest control services. Although aphid symbionts have the potential to reduce biological control effectiveness through conferring protection for the host insect, we discuss how increasing plant and natural enemy biodiversity can mitigate these effects and identify future research opportunities. Understanding how to promote beneficial interactions in ecological systems can help in the development of more sustainable agricultural management strategies.     

Entomofauna associated to horticultural crops under organic and conventional practices in Córdoba, Argentina

Farming practices and the addition of chemical synthetic substances in conventional agroecosystems are detrimental mainly to natural enemies of phytophagous insects, diminishing the natural regulation of pest insects. On the other hand, in organic agriculture, biological processes and care of the environment are favoured, hence an increase in insect biodiversity is predicted in this type of systems. In this work, abundance, richness of insects and proportion of functional groups were compared through a single quantitative sampling of insects in horticultural crop fields, three under organic and three under conventional management practices. Insect species richness, total and for guilds (phytophagous and entomophagous insects) were significantly higher in organic orchards, and also was the abundance of entomophagous insects. Richness and abundance of all insect orders (with exception of Homoptera abundance), were higher in orchards under organic management, being significative the differences for richness of Coleoptera and richness and abundance of Hymenoptera. Similar tendencies were observed in data obtained through sweep net in weeds. These results suggest that organic practices increase the diversity of species, particularly that of natural enemies.     

蚧虫化学生态学研究进展

概述了蚧虫性信息素、植物-蚧虫-天敌三者关系中的化学联系研究进展,介绍了蚧虫化学生态学在生物防治上的应用,并探讨了蚧虫化学生态学的发展前景     

Reprint of: Biological control of rice insect pests in China

Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world. China has the second largest area of the rice growing in the world and the highest yield of rice produced. Infestation by insect pests, especially rice planthoppers, stem borers and leaf folders, is always a serious challenge to rice production in China. Current methods for controlling insect pests in China mainly include good farming practices, biological control, breeding and growing resistant varieties, and the use of chemical insecticides. However, for farmers, the favorite method for insect pest control is still the application of chemical insecticide, which not only causes severe environmental pollution and the resurgence of herbivores but also reduces populations of the natural enemies of herbivores. To control insect pests safely, effectively and sustainably, strategies encouraging biological control are currently demanded. Here we review the progress that has been made in the development and implementation of biological controls for rice in China since the 1970s. Such progress includes the species identification of the natural enemies of rice insect pests, the characterization of their biology, and the integration of biological controls in integrated pest management. To develop effective ecological engineering programs whose aim is to implement conservation biological controls, further research, including the evaluation of the roles of plants in non-crop habitats in conservation biological controls, volatiles in enhancing efficiency of natural enemies and natural enemies in manipulating insect pests, and education to increase farmers’ knowledge of biological controls, is proposed.     

中国红树林生态系统主要害虫种类、 防控现状及成灾原因

红树林湿地是中国东南沿海的关键生态系统之一。近年来, 我国红树林陆续出现多种害虫种群暴发成灾的现象, 使红树林湿地的可持续利用面临严重挑战。本文归纳了近20年来中国红树林生态系统的主要害虫种类, 危害较严重的有海榄雌瘤斑螟Acrobasis sp., 毛颚小卷蛾Lasiognatha cellifera, 丽绿刺蛾Latoia lepida, 白囊袋蛾Chalioides kondonis, 蜡彩袋蛾Chalia larminati和小袋蛾Acanthopsyche subferalbata等; 对红树林虫害的防控现状进行总结, 目前开展的防控工作主要以生物农药、 昆虫生长调节剂、 昆虫天敌等生物防治方法为主, 结合灯光诱杀等物理防治手段的运用, 对暴发期的害虫种群可以取得较好的控制效果; 并从红树林生态系统健康水平和昆虫群落多样性等方面对害虫种群的成灾原因进行初步探讨; 最终提出以虫害可持续控制为目标的红树林生态系统生境调控策略, 以期为提高红树林湿地虫害管理水平以及促进红树林的可持续发展提供重要的理论参考和科学指导。     

Releases of biological control agents of insect pests on Easter Island (Pacific Ocean)

For half a century, agriculture on Easter Island has been affected by an increasing number of accidentally introduced insect pests. Due to the absence of natural enemies and other factors, these have reached high density levels which claimed for intensive use of pesticides. A project supported by the National Funds for Regional Development (FNDR) was established in 1984 to develop a biological control program against these pest species. Presently, 60 beneficial species have been introduced to control agricultural pests and flies that affect cattle and humans. Some of the natural enemies have established and are reducing pest populations thereby decreasing the requirement for insecticidal treatments. Fly density has also decreased noticeably. This can be attributed to the activity of natural enemies and dung beetles which compete with larval fly for food.     

Interactions Between Entomopathogenic Fungi and Other Natural Enemies: Implications for Biological Control

Pathogens and arthropod natural enemies may contribute to the suppression of insect pest populations either as individual species or as species complexes. However, because natural enemies of insects have evolved and function in a multitrophic context it is important to assess interactions within complexes of natural enemies if they are to be exploited effectively in pest management. Natural enemies can interact either synergistically/additively (e.g. enhanced transmission and dispersal of insect pathogens) or antagonistically (e.g. parasitism/infection, predation and competition). In this paper, studies assessing the potential interactions between insect and fungal natural enemies are reviewed. In general, these studies indicate the positive nature of the interactions between arthropod natural enemies and fungal pathogens with respect to the control of insect populations. More work is required to investigate further the many ways in which the natural enemy community interacts in the agroecosystem     

973项目“重大农业害虫猖獗危害的机制及可持续控制的基础研究”简介

2006年9月,国家重点基础研究发展计划(973)农业领域2006年度项目“重大农业害虫猖獗危害的机制及可持续控制的基础研究”经科技部批准正式立项启动。该项目以全系统管理思想为指导,在基因、个体、种群、生态系统等不同层次,阐明我国重大农业害虫种群分化与暴发的分子基础,解析害虫与寄主作物及天敌间的相互作用机制,建立害虫监测与预警系统,提出重大农业害虫可持续控制的新途径和新方法,为我国农业减灾、经济的可持续发展奠定科学基础。项目的主要研究内容包括:害虫生长发育与生殖调控的分子机制;害虫对环境胁迫的适应机制;杀虫药剂诱导害虫再猖獗的机制;害虫与寄主植物的协同进化;天敌与害虫的互作及控害机制;作物-害虫-天敌食物网关系及其调控机理;重大害虫区域性暴发监测与预警。项目的总体目标为:阐明害虫生长发育、种群分化的分子基础,揭示害虫种群调节的内在机制;解析作物、害虫及天敌间的互作机制,丰富和发展植物-害虫-天敌协同进化理论;阐明主要害虫区域性灾变机理,发展害虫预警新技术;发展与环境相容的、增强自然控害功能的新技术,提出重大农业害虫可持续控制的新途径和新方法;凝炼一支害虫控制基础研究的创新团队,丰富和发展我国害虫管理的科学理论与实践,提升我国有害生物防控的原始创新和集成创新能力,扩大国际影响。     

试论拓宽生物防治范围，发展虫害可持续治理

该文针对我国生物防治资源极其丰富和农民经济实力薄弱的特点,结合我国微孢子虫治蝗和苹果园植被多样化持续治理虫害的成果,论述了应如何发展和拓宽具有我国特色的害虫生物防治,进一步提高综合防治水平,促进农业可持续发展。     

昆虫共生微生物及其功能研究进展

昆虫体内共生微生物能够占到昆虫生物量的1％～10％,主要包括细菌、真菌、古菌和病毒.昆虫与共生微生物共进化形成共生体,共生微生物在昆虫生物学性状、多样性形成、生态适应性与抗逆性等多方面发挥着重要的作用.昆虫中的农作物害虫严重影响农业生产.本文对2000年以来农业害虫共生微生物的多样性、研究方法和功能机制、共生微生物之间...     

重组DNA技术在昆虫学中的应用

重组DNA技术即基因工程,亦为人们称做基因克隆或基因操作。重组DNA技术已被应用于昆虫学的基础研究和应用研究中。本文首先对重组DNA技术及基因转移技术(在昆虫学研究中与重组DNA技术配合应用的重要手段)作一简述,然后着重介绍这些技术在昆虫学研究中的应用概况。 重组DNA技术 重组DNA技术就是将DNA从细胞中分离出来,切割成片段,与载体DNA连接,形成重组DNA分子,然后导入宿主细胞,进行复制。     

天敌昆虫抗药性研究进展

天敌昆虫抗药性研究在协调害虫化学防治和生物防治中有着重要的理论和现实意义,其研究的最终目的在于更好地推进抗性天敌在害虫综合治理(IPM)中的应用。抗药性天敌昆虫具有潜在的巨大价值。鉴于此,本文系统地综述了天敌昆虫抗药性最新研究进展,包括杀虫剂对天敌昆虫的影响、天敌昆虫抗药性现状、抗药性机理和限制天敌昆虫抗药性发展因素等。文章最后还对抗药性天敌昆虫的应用前景进行了展望。