Handbook of Biological Control - Principles and Applications of Biological Control

Hardback  1280 pages  ISBN 0122573056      £116.00

For many years the use of chemical agents such as pesticides and herbicides has been effective in controlling the many varieties of pest that infest both agricultural crops and gardens. However, these pests are gradually becoming resistant to these agents, since the agents themselves act as selective factors making the pests better able to resist and persist. As a result, the use of biological control methods is increasing, as discussed in great detail throughout this comprehensive and authoritative handbook of biological control. It contains over 40 chapters each written by leading experts, divided into five sections covering all aspects of the subject, making it the outstanding publication in this area, as indicated by the following contents list.

Part I. Introduction:

• Scope and significance of biological control
• Theories and mechanisms of natural population regulation

Part II. Principles and processes:

• Taxonomy and biological control
• Molecular methods in classical biological control
• Exploration for natural enemies
• Quarantine
• Culture and colonization
• Life table construction and analysis for evaluating biological control agents
• Evaluation of biological control with experimental methods
• Evaluation of results
• Periodic release and manipulation of natural enemies
• Genetic improvement and other genetic considerations for improving the efficacy and success rate of biological control
• Enhanced biological control through pesticide selectivity
• Environmental management to enhance biological control in agroecosystems

Part III. Agents, biology and methods

• Biology of parasitic hymenoptera
• Terrestrial arthropod predators of insect and mite pests
• Arthropods and vertebrates in biological control of plants
• A perspective on pathogens as biological control agents for insect pests
• Cross-protection and systemic acquired resistance for control of plant diseases
• Genetic mechanisms for engineering host resistance to plant viruses
• Bacillus thuringiensis in biological control
• Nutrition of entomophagous insects and other arthropods
• Sex ratio and quality in the culturing of parasitic hymenoptera; a genetic and evolutionary perspective
• Evolution of pesticide resistance in natural enemies
• Hypovirulence to control fungal pathogenesis

Part IV. Applications:

• Controlling soil-borne plant pathogens
• Biological control in subtropical and tropical crops
• Biological control in deciduous fruit crops
• Biological control of forest insects
• Enhancement of biological control in annual agricultural environments
• Glasshouse environments
• Foliar, flower and fruit pathogens
• Biological control of insects and mites on grapes
• Biological control of weeds in terrestrial and aquatic environments
• Use of plant pathogens in weed control
• Biological control of insects in urban environments
• Biological control of medical and veterinary pests
• Biological control of vertebrate pests
• Classical biological control in Latin America: past, present and future

Part V. Research and the future:

• Social and economic factors affecting research and implementation of biological control
• Whither hence, Prometheus? The future of biological control

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