Commercial Biological Control
Norm Leppla
UF, IFAS, IPM Florida
Milestones in Commercialization of
Biological Control
1895- Farming Trichogramma proposed
1926- Fillmore, mass prod. NE citrus pests
1929- Trichogramma on factitious host
1949- Chrysoperla colonization
1956- Predaceous mites, mites on strawberry
1968- Koppert established
1975- Trichogramma, European corn borer
1981- IOBC WGQC (AMRQC)
1988- Whitefly parasites, Europe glasshouses
1990- ANBP established in California
1995- Commercial artificial diet for predators
1995- IBMA established in France
Biological Control Organizations with
Commercial Affiliations
IOBC
Guidelines for Purchasing and Using
Commercial Natural Enemies and
Biopesticides in Florida and Other States
(EDIS IPM-146 IN849)
The Association of Natural
Biocontrol Producers (ANBP) is
a professional, non-profit
association representing the
biological pest management
industry. Members of ANBP are
expected to adhere to a code of
ethics which encourages the
highest standards in the
production and marketing of
natural enemies.
www.anbp.org
Commercial Natural Enemies
and Biopesticides in Florida
• 56 commercial invetrebrate biological control
products available in Florida (230 species
invertebrates globally)
• 21 biopesticides available in Florida
• 51 suppliers for Florida (~250 globally)
• ~20 producers in North America, 0 in Florida
(5/20 produce >3 species, 10 employees average)
• Revenue = $20-25 million for invertebrate
products produced in North America , 3
companies > $1.5 million (~$200 million globally)
Global Sales
2%
Table 1. Habitats, pests, natural
enemies and reference number
Tables 2-7. Number of natural
enemy products and sources
Table 2- Nematodes (8, 30)
Table 3- Predatory mites (10, 26)
Table 4- Predatory insects (15, 31)
Table 5- Parasitic wasps (23, 31)
Table 6- Biopesticides (21, 29)
Table 7- Companies and websites (51)
Nematodes and Mites
NEMATODES
Heterorhabditidae- Heterorhabditis (2 spp)
Steinernematidae- Steinernema (3 spp)
ARACHNIDS
Laelapidae- Hypoaspis (1 spp)
Phytoseiidae- Amblyseius, Galendromus,
Mesoseiulus, Neoseiulus, Phytoseiulus (9 spp)
Predatory Insects
Coleoptera
Coccinellidae- Cryptolaemus, Delphastus,
Hippodamia, Rhyzobius, Stethorus
Cybocephalidae- Cybocephalus
Histeridae- Carcinops
Staphylinidae- Dalotia (also called Atheta)
Diptera
Cecidomyiidae- Aphidoletes, Feltiella
Hemiptera
Thysanoptera
Anthocoridae- Orius
Thripidae- Scolothrips
Pentatomidae- Podisus
Neuroptera
Chrysopidae- Chrysoperla
Parasitic Wasps
Hymenoptera
Aphelinidae- Aphelinus, Aphytis, Encarsia,
Eretmocerus (5 spp)
Braconidae- Aphidius, Cotesia, Dacnusa (5 spp)
Encyrtidae- Leptomastix, Metaphycus (2 spp)
Eulophidae- Diglyphus, Pediobius (2 spp)
Pteromalidae- Muscidifurax, Nasonia, Spalangia (6 spp)
Trichogrammatidae- Trichogramma (3 spp)
Major Commercial Natural
Enemies
Major Commercial Natural
Enemies
Predators!
Comparison of Chemical and
Biological Control
Aspect
Chemical Control
Biological Control
Number of ‘‘ingredients’’ tested >3.5 million
3,500
Success ratio
1:140,000
1:10
Developmental costs
$256 million
$2 million
Developmental time
10 years
10 years
Benefit/cost ratio
2:1
2.5–20:1
Risks of resistance
Large
Nil/small
Specificity
Small
Large
Harmful side-effects
Many
Nil/small
Van Lenteren, J. C. 2011. The state of commercial augmentative
biological control: plenty of natural enemies, but a frustrating lack
of uptake. Biocontrol.
Incentives to Use of
Biological Control
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Effective against pest
Safe for environment
High benefit/cost
Reduced long-term cost
Reduced risk to growers
Reduced compliance
Attitude of consumers
Residue demands by food retailers
and supermarket chains
Limitations to Use of
Biological Control
•
•
•
•
•
Attitude of the pesticide industry
Attitude of farmers
Attitude of governmental institutions
Influence of guidelines and regulations
Attitude of biological control community
Requirements for Commercialization
•
•
•
•
•
Incorporation into IPM system
Distirbution system and marketing
Expertise (training)
New markets and products
Research support (team versus solo)
Improved rearing and release methods
Field tests to determine effectiveness
Compatibility with pesticides
Taxonomic expertise
Quality control
• Supportive regulatory structure
IPM Transition
Resistant Crop
Invasive Pest
Competitors
Natural enemies
Vulnerable
Crop
Pesticide program
•
•
•
•
New insecticides
New formulations
New application methods
Resistance management
Resistant varieties
Integrated pest management
program
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cultural practices
Scouting, ID of pests & NEs
Conservation of NEs
Augmentation of NEs
Reduced-risk insecticides
Resistance management
Natural Enemy Sales Increases
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pesticide resistance
Transgenic crops
Loss of pesticides (regulatory)
New more selective pesticides
Cost of pesticides (registration)
Alien invasive species
Cropping systems (pollinators, organic)
Year
20
20
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
19
03
00
97
94
91
88
85
82
79
76
73
70
67
Cumulative
Number of Species
New Product Development
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Amblyseius swirskii
MiteTreatm
Species
ent
A. limonicus
T. swirskii
A. ovalis
E. scutalis
A. degenerans
A. cucumeris
A. barkeri
E. finlandicus
1200
A. cucumeris DPV
T. pyri
Perdentage compared to A. cucumeris
Western Flower Thrips Control
in Cucumbers
1500
Predatory mites
F. occidentalis larvae
900
600
300
0
Bemisia tabaci Control
on Hibiscus
Evolution of the population of whiteflies Bemisia tabaci
Release dates
1
2
3
15
35
30
10
25
20
15
5
10
5
0
0
13
14
15
A. swirskii
perofplant
Mean
number
A. swirskii/plant
B.
tabaci
with
A.
swirskii
A. swirskii
B. tabaci
without
swirskii
Control
without
A.A.
swirskii
16
17
18
week
19
20
21
22
mean number of A. swirskii
/plant
mean number of alive pupae of Bemisia
tabaci/plant
40
Amblyseius swirskii
Effectiveness







Very high numerical response to availability of food
Highly efficacious against western flower thrips,
greenhouse whiteflies and tobacco whiteflies
In combination with:
• Orius spp. against western flower thrips
• Whitefly parasites against whiteflies
• P. persimilis or A. californicus against two-spotted
spider mites
Good establishment on pollen
Whiteflies can substitute for pollen in peppers
Good results in North and South Europe
May replace A. cucumeris, depending on release permits
Pesticide Side Effects
Global QC Programs
• Individual Companies
Customers
• International Standards
ISO 9000
IOBC Guidelines (European Community)
• The Marketplace
Quality Products
Customer Service
• Many companies provide detailed information
on how to use their products.
• The best companies deliver excellent customer
service for site-specific biocontrol.
• The marketplace ultimately determines the
usefulness of commercial natural enemies.
Information on Commercial
Biological Control
http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu