Status and use of biological control of insect pests in citrus IPM

Abstract

We summarize the status of the biological control of insect pests in citrus IPM in Japan. Classical biological control against exotic insect pests was used from the 1910s to 1980s. And some species of introduced natural enemies have been maintaining pests at below the economic threshold in the present citrus cultivation. However, the late 1990s, conservation biological control of the citrus red mite Panonychus citri(McGregor), with severe pesticide resistance was investigated. As a result, acaricide applications were reduced by two or three times by the late 2000s through insecticide selectivity and cover cropping to maintain the habitat for natural enemies. We also discuss the issues of biological control for the establishment of citrus IPM.