and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

STATUS OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN NON-RICE
CROPS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
B. Napompeth
Executive Director
National Biological Control Research Center (NBCRC)
Kasetsart University & National Research Council of Thailand
P.O. Box 9-52, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
The Southeast Asian region geographically includes the countries of Brunei,
Burma, Indonesia, Krripuchea, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, and Vietnr. Among these are members of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations kASEAN) - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore, and Thailand. All forms of biological control, viz., natural,
classical, and augmentative, have been investigated and carried out within the
region for insect pests of agricultural crops, insect pests and insect vectors of
medical and public health importance, other vertebrate and invertebrate pests, and
both aquatic and terrestrial wcds of economic importance. Geographically and
ecologically, the region is relatively conducive for biological control attempts,
and substantial cases of achievement ranging from partial to c'omplete and
spectacular successes arc known. l-lowever, literature and information regarding
such attempts are not readily available, making it rather difficult to prepare a
highly needed compendiunm on biological control in the various countries of
Southeast Asia.
The objective of this paper is firstly, to provide an overview of the status of
biologicai control in non-rice crops in Southeast Asia from available literature
and information, and secondly, to provide an insight into the potential of
biological control as a major component in IPM systems being adopted in the
region.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IN VARIOUS SOUTHEAST ASIAN
COUNTRIES
Biological control of insects and other pests in Southeast Asia and the
Pacific Region has been reviewed by Rao et al. (1971), who dealt with the
introduction of natural enemies and the regional transfer of natural enemies for
biological control of various pests of agricultural and public health importance,
as well as those of weeds. The same review covered those biological control
agents which have been introduced for exploitation outside the region. Reviews
of biological control on a country by country basis in Southeast Asia are those
of Ooi et al. (1979) for Malaysia; Baltazar (1963, 1980) for the Philippines;
Napompeth (1982) for Thailand; and Napompeth (1983, 1986) for Vietnam. No
such reviews were found for Brunei, Burma, Indonesia, Kampuchea, Laos, and
Singapore.