Biological Combating Mean?

Biological combating

The struggle against pests, diseases and weeds in the plant by the use of other living organisms so that the pest can be kept below the level of economic damage.

Biological combating (often referred to as biological control) is a method of pest management that uses natural organisms or biological agents to control or reduce the population of harmful pests, diseases, or invasive species. It is an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides and focuses on leveraging the natural enemies of pests to regulate their numbers.

Key Aspects of Biological Combating

1. Natural Predators: The introduction or enhancement of natural predators to control pest populations. For example, releasing ladybugs to eat aphids that harm plants.

2. Parasites and Pathogens: Utilizing parasites, fungi, bacteria, or viruses that specifically target pests and cause disease or death. For instance, using a parasitic wasp to control caterpillar pests.

3. Biological Agents: Organisms or substances derived from living organisms that are used to control pests. These could include bacteria like Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium that targets and kills caterpillar pests.

4. Competition: Introducing or encouraging species that compete with pests for resources such as food, habitat, or breeding sites, thereby reducing the pest population indirectly.

5. Inoculative and Inundative Release:

   • Inoculative release involves releasing a small number of natural enemies that will multiply and establish themselves in the environment.
   • Inundative release involves releasing large numbers of natural enemies to provide immediate control, similar to the effect of applying chemical pesticides but without the environmental harm.

Types of Biological Combating (Biological Control)

1. Classical Biological Control:

   • This approach involves introducing natural predators or parasites from the pest's native range to a new area where the pest has become a problem. The goal is to establish a stable predator-prey relationship.
   • Example: The introduction of Cactophagus cactorum, a weevil, to control the spread of the prickly pear cactus in Australia.

2. Augmentative Biological Control:

   • In this approach, natural enemies of pests are released in larger numbers to enhance their effectiveness in controlling pest populations. It may involve periodic releases.
   • Example: Releasing additional aphid parasitoids to control aphid populations in agricultural fields.

3. Conservation Biological Control:

   • This method focuses on conserving and enhancing the natural enemies already present in the environment. This can be achieved by creating favorable conditions for natural predators (e.g., planting nectar-producing plants to attract parasitoids).
   • Example: Preserving habitats for birds that feed on insect pests, or reducing pesticide use to protect pollinators and other beneficial insects. 

Advantages of Biological Combating

1. Environmental Safety: Unlike chemical pesticides, biological control agents are generally species-specific, meaning they target only the pests without harming non-target organisms, such as beneficial insects, wildlife, or plants.

2. Sustainability: Biological control methods can provide long-term pest management solutions. Once established, natural enemies of pests can continue to provide control without the need for repeated applications.

3. Reduced Chemical Dependency: By reducing reliance on chemical pesticides, biological combating can help prevent issues such as pesticide resistance and contamination of water, soil, and air.

4. Cost-Effectiveness: In many cases, biological control can be more cost-effective in the long run, as it reduces the need for expensive pesticides and the labor involved in their application.

Disadvantages of Biological Combating

1. Slow to Establish: Biological control agents often take longer to establish and show results compared to chemical pesticides. It may take time for natural predators or parasites to reach a level where they effectively control pests.

2. Non-Target Effects: While biological control agents are typically specific to certain pests, there can be unintended consequences, such as the introduction of a new predator that disrupts the local ecosystem or damages non-target species.

3. Complexity: Biological control is not always a simple solution, as it requires understanding the pest's biology, the life cycle of the natural enemy, and the dynamics of the ecosystem. Mismanagement or lack of understanding can result in failure.

4. Limited Effectiveness: In some cases, biological control agents may not be effective in controlling pests, particularly if the environmental conditions are not favorable or the pest population is too large.

Examples of Biological Combating

1. Control of Aphids with Ladybugs: Ladybugs are natural predators of aphids, a common pest of crops. By introducing or encouraging ladybug populations, aphid populations can be kept in check without the use of chemical pesticides.

2. Use of Bacillus thuringiensis for Insect Control: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a soil bacterium that produces a toxin harmful to specific insect larvae, such as caterpillars, but does not affect other organisms. It is often used in organic farming to control pests like cabbage worms.

3. Control of the Gypsy Moth: The introduction of Nucleopolyhedrovirus (a virus that specifically infects gypsy moth larvae) has been used to control the gypsy moth population, which causes significant damage to forests in North America.

4. Biological Control of Invasive Plant Species: In some cases, insects or fungi have been introduced to control invasive plant species. For example, the release of Cactophagus cactorum weevils to control the spread of prickly pear cactus in Australia.

Conclusion

Biological combating is a valuable, eco-friendly method of pest management that utilizes natural organisms to control harmful pests. While it offers several advantages, such as environmental safety and sustainability, it also has limitations that must be carefully considered when planning pest control strategies.