Advantages and Disadvantages

From BIOL 2P96 Jan 2013 Group 07

Revision as of 12:32, 22 March 2013 (edit) Jv07cx (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff		Revision as of 12:33, 22 March 2013 (edit) (undo) Jv07cx (Talk | contribs) (→Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Entomogenous Fungi as Biocontrol Agents of Arthropod Pests) Next diff →
Line 16:		Line 16:
	<p>The negative impacts of chemical pesticides is what has guided new attention towards increased emphasis on biological control agents with respect to using fungi through the use of naturally occurring pathogens of arthropods. Many of these naturally occurring pathogens produced by fungi are already being employed, mostly on a small scale controlling arthropod pests in greenhouse crops, orchards, ornamentals, turf and lawn grasses, stored products and forests, and also for moderation of vectors of animal and human diseases. <ref>Lacey et al. (2001). Insect pathogens as biological control agents: do they have a future? ''Biological Control''. '''21''': 230-248. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/bcon.2001.0938</ref> </p>		<p>The negative impacts of chemical pesticides is what has guided new attention towards increased emphasis on biological control agents with respect to using fungi through the use of naturally occurring pathogens of arthropods. Many of these naturally occurring pathogens produced by fungi are already being employed, mostly on a small scale controlling arthropod pests in greenhouse crops, orchards, ornamentals, turf and lawn grasses, stored products and forests, and also for moderation of vectors of animal and human diseases. <ref>Lacey et al. (2001). Insect pathogens as biological control agents: do they have a future? ''Biological Control''. '''21''': 230-248. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/bcon.2001.0938</ref> </p>
		+
		+	<p>

---

Revision as of 12:33, 22 March 2013

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Entomogenous Fungi as Biocontrol Agents of Arthropod Pests

There has been a great amount of research effort dedicated to attempting to employ pest diseases and pathogens into biocontrol agents that can be used to attack those arthropods society views as pests. Biological control is described as the practice by which the undesirable effects of a pest organism are reduced through the activity of another organism that is not the host, is not a pest or isn’t a human. ^[1]

Synthetic chemical pesticides have been important in arthropod control since the discovery of DDT in the 1930’s and they remain the most important method today because they:^[2]

• Have a broad spectrum usually being effective for more then one pest;
• Being highly effective;
• Are affordable, and easy to make;
• Are persistent, able to kill throughout the season or life of the crop.

They have served society well by reducing the economic damage caused by arthropod pests and by reducing the occurrence of the diseases of plants and animals that are transmitted by these pests because of this combination of properties. However these same characteristics have also created the problems widely associated with the use of chemical pesticides. The tenacity and the widespread use of chemical pesticides has resulted in them becoming unnatural mechanisms of the environment resulting in: ^[3]

• Development of resistance in arthropod pest populations;
• Appearance of new types of pests as old ones vanish;
• Elimination of the natural predators or enemies of pests;
• Disruption of natural ecosystem balance as non pests are also killed;
• Bioaccumulation of pesticides through food chains, adversely affecting mammal and bird populations.

The negative impacts of chemical pesticides is what has guided new attention towards increased emphasis on biological control agents with respect to using fungi through the use of naturally occurring pathogens of arthropods. Many of these naturally occurring pathogens produced by fungi are already being employed, mostly on a small scale controlling arthropod pests in greenhouse crops, orchards, ornamentals, turf and lawn grasses, stored products and forests, and also for moderation of vectors of animal and human diseases. ^[4]

Notes and References

1. ↑ Lacey et al. (2001). Insect pathogens as biological control agents: do they have a future? Biological Control. 21: 230-248. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/bcon.2001.0938
2. ↑ D. Moore, G. Robson, and A. Trinci. (2012). Fungi as pathogens of animals, including humans, CH 16. of 21st Century Guidebook to Fungi. pgs. 421-422.
3. ↑ D. Moore, G. Robson, and A. Trinci. (2012). Fungi as pathogens of animals, including humans, CH 16. of 21st Century Guidebook to Fungi. pgs. 421-422.
4. ↑ Lacey et al. (2001). Insect pathogens as biological control agents: do they have a future? Biological Control. 21: 230-248. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/bcon.2001.0938