Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

Disadvantages Biopesticide:
� It takes more intensive management and planning.
� It takes more time to show measurable effect;
� It requires more record keeping, more patience, and sometimes more education or
training.
� Successful use of biological control requires a greater understanding of the biology of
both the pest and its enemies.
� In some cases, biological control may be more costly than pesticides.
� Often, the results of using biological control are not as dramatic or quick as the results
of pesticides use.
Application of Biopesticide:
Increasingly, biopesticides are being produced and sold as least toxic pest
management tools. The increasing acceptance and sale of biopesticides has created need
for better understanding of the method of its application.
If a decision has been made to use biopesticides to control pests, several
considerations need to be made before proceeding.
� First, find a source of high quality biopesticides.
� Second, consideration should be made of how best to apply or release the
biopesticides.
A number of challenges and limitations are posed when biopesticide is incorporated
into a pest management program. The failure of control is not unique to biopesticides.
The use of pesticides also involves challenges and limitations that can lead to product
failure or poor performance. Environmental conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and
wind can all affect the quality and effectiveness of the applied pesticide. Finally, it is
important to make sure that the pesticide actually gets to the targets pest. Biopesticide can
be an effective, environmentally sound method of managing pests. However, when using
biopesticides in gardens, farms, homes, or interior-scapes, identify the pest and
biopesticides, estimate the population of pests and biopesticides, purchase the correct
biopesticide, release them correctly, and monitor their effectiveness.
Factors affecting the Effectiveness of the Biopesticide:
Timing of Releases and Applications:
Timing of biopesticide release is critical to the success of biological control. Since
biopesticide work better as preventive rather than curative pest management method, it is
important to release them when pest infestations are just beginning.
Some biopesticides are affected by the time of year, and can be less effective when
applied untimely. The time of day can also be important, especially if the release is to be
made outdoors or in a green house. When the temperature is high during the middle of
the day, biopesticides tend to be more active and may disperse or leave the area they were
released in. Higher temperatures during the release can cause increased mortality of the
biopesticides, reducing the number of beneficial organisms. Other weather conditions,
especially rain, may also have an impact on biopesticide survival during release. As a
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