Biological control is particularly useful where chemical pesticides are not suitable or are impractical in environmentally sensitive areas, or on low-unit-value crops, such as alfalfa or soybeans, where complete control may not be required.

1. z
Success Stories
of Biocontrol
Agents
Examples that Prove Biocontrol as a Necessity
rather than an option
Submitted by :
Aishna Srivastava
M.Sc. Plant Pathology (1st year)
IARI, IIWBR, Karnal

2. z Adressing 3 W’s regarding Biocontol Agents:
What, Why and Where?
What is Biocontrol?
Organisms derived from nature and
used against pests, weeds, and
diseases are biocontrol agents. They
work by either killing, deterring, or
disrupting the target.
Why there is a need to use?
Biocontrol agents hold the potential
to replace chemical pesticides. They
can be employed
as biopesticides, biofertilizers, and
stimulators for plant development.
Where we can apply Biocontrol agents?
Biological control is particularly useful
where chemical pesticides are not suitable
or are impractical in environmentally
sensitive areas, or on low-unit-value
crops, such as alfalfa or soybeans, where
complete control may not be required.
A beet armyworm larva killed (top) by an NPV A cicada infected by Beauveria bassiana

3. z
Sneak Peak Into the Bio-Controlling strategy adopted in Bangladesh
for controlling White grubs in Sugarcane

4. z Introduction to the pest of the story :
White Grub
• White grubs, Holotrichia seticollis
• Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae
• Soil-inhabiting and root-feeding immature stages of scarab
beetles.
• White grubs are polyphagous pests with a wide range of
hosts, damaging both on adult and larval stages; however,
the larvae are a greater nuisance.
• Damage in sugercanes
 Yellowing and wilting of leaves.
 Affected canes come off easily when pulled.
 Cause extensive damage to roots and base of shoot.
 Affected canes shows lodging in the field.
 Damages can seen more in ratoon crop when compare to
plant crop
Yellowing of leaves
Affected canes

5. z
Need of Biocontrol : Analysis of Situation
• In Bangladesh, white grub is one of the
seven pests of national importance.Its
attack is mainly confined to the nonflooded
sandy loam soil areas in the north and
northwestern parts of Bangladesh. So far,
17 species of white grubs have been
identified in sugarcane.
• The yield loss due to white grubs was found
to be 23.07-38.17 t ha-1 (Miah et al., 1986).
• Novel pest control emphasises the use of
biological control and other control
measures, and especially the chemicals
must play a supportive, rather than
disruptive role.

6. z
BioControl Agent Adopted to control
white grub
 The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium
anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana against white
grubs in sugarcane fields was used (by a Swiss
scientist, Dr Siegfried Keller for the first time in
Nepal to control White grubs.)
 Vision was to Develop a suitable recommendation
for eco-friendly control of white grubs to various
counterparts in Bangladesh.

7. z
MODE OF ACTION

8. z
Plan of Action
The experiment was comprised of seven treatments were:
T1: Metarhizium anisopliae @ 3.0 kg ha1 applied in Planting + March + May + July
T2: Metarhizium anisopliae @ 4.0 kg ha-1 applied in Planting + March + May + July
T3: Metarhizium anisopliae @ 5.0 kg ha-1 applied in Planting + March + May + July
T4: Beauveria bassiana @ 3.0 kg ha-1 applied in Planting + March + May + July
T5: Beauveria bassiana @ 4.0 kg ha-1 applied in Planting + March + May + July
T6: Beauveria bassiana @ 5.0 kg ha-1 applied in Planting + March + May + July
T0: Control (untreated)

9. z Observations
Effects of entomopathogenic fungi Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana on
yield of sugarcane against white grubs, RSRS, Thakurgaon.

10. z
Conclusion
 Bio-pesticides Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana might be used alternatively to
chemical control as an environmental friendly component which might reduce the use of
chemical insecticides against sugarcane white grubs and management cost and ensure
environmental safety.
 Among the two bio-pesticides viz., Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana @ 5.0 kg
ha-1 were provided effective control against sugarcane white grubs in commercial cultivation
of sugarcane growing North-Western regions of Bangladesh.

11. z
Analysing the control of Silver leaf white fly
in cotton in India

12. zIntroduction to the Pest and DamageSilver leaf white fly
(Bemisia tabaci Aleyrodiadae: Homoptera)
 Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a destructive
insect pest and vector of Begomoviruses (family
Geminiviridae) which transmits virus diseases in
several important crop plants leading to severe
losses in yield and quality.
 Honeydew secreted by them promotes the growth of
fungi like sooty mold on fruits, fowers and other
economically important plant parts which reduces
their market value.
 Whitefly feeding results in symptoms like chlorosis,
withering and premature dropping of leaves and
sometimes plant’s death.

13. z
Need of Biocontrol : Analysis of
Situation
The first record of presence of B.
tabaci in India was in 1905 from
cotton. Whitefly, B. tabaci is the major
sucking pests on cotton in northern and
southern India, while the whiteflies are
the predominant sucking pests on
brinjal in eastern India. Huge
populations of whiteflies were recorded
during 2015 in Punjab, Haryana and
Rajasthan leading to considerable
economic losses to the farmers.
40 per cent of the standing cotton crop
has been affected by the whitefly attack in
Fazilka making it one of the worst-hit
districts of the state.

14. z
Methods Adopted to control
 A field survey during 2016 and 2017 in different cotton growing
districts of Punjab reported the presence of Sixteen species of
natural enemies including 7 species of insect predators.
 Coccinella septempunctata Linneaus
By using Predators

15. z
Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius)
Brumoides suturalis (Fabricius)
Serangium parcesetosum Sicard

16. z
Chrysoperla zastrowi
Zanchius breviceps (Wagner)

17. z
• The parasitization by Encarsia spp. on whitefly
in different cotton growing areas of Punjab
ranged from 1.5 to 9.1 %.
• Srinivasa et al. (1999) reported the occurrence of
Encarsia haitiensis Dozier in Bangalore,
Karnataka and also showed that the per cent
parasitism was influenced by the host plant.).
• Ramani (2000) reported both E. haitiensis and
E. guadeloupe Viggiani from Lakshadweep
Islands (India). The latter species has been
introduced into mainland India around Bangalore
and has well established and is spreading.
By using Parasitoids ( (Encarsia lutea (Masi), Encarsia
Sophia)

18. z
MODE OF ACTION

19. z
Conclusion
 Both the species of parasitoid and the native
predators are maintaining the pest under
check now wherever they occur.
 Among predators, Chrysoperla was the found
to be predominant species.

20. z
Present Context
 Several natural enemies prey whiteflies including
ladybird beetles, big-eyed bugs, and parasitic
wasps. If you see these insects, do not kill them.
 Use Chrysoperla carnea cards in the cotton field
from June to September Botanical spray of Neem
seed kernel extract 5% (50 kg), neem oil at 5 ml/l
of water also effective against white fly

21. z
Thankyou….