Uso de parasitoides en el control biológico de algunas plagas agrícolas en Ecuador

Abstract

AGRICULTURAL PESTS CAUSE DAMAGE TO AGRICULTURAL CROPS WORLDWIDE. TO REDUCE THESE LOSSES, MOST FARMERS DEPEND ON CHEMICAL CONTROL, SINCE IT IS EFFECTIVE AND CONSTITUTES THE ONLY TOOL THAT CAN BE USED WHEN THE ECONOMIC THRESHOLDS OF INFESTATION ARE EXCEEDED. IN ECUADOR, THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF PESTICIDES HAS RESULTED IN CONTAMINATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, HUMAN HEALTH PROBLEMS AND ECOLOGICAL IMBALANCES IN AGROECOSYSTEMS, LEADING TO RAPID POPULATION INCREASES OF SOME INSECT PESTS. IN CONTRAST, BIOLOGICAL CONTROL IS CONSIDERED A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE, SINCE DUE TO ITS NATURAL OCCURRENCE AND APPRECIABLE EFFECT, IT IS THE FIRST OPTION TO BE CONSIDERED IN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. AMONG THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS, PARASITOIDS STAND OUT FOR THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND SPECIFICITY IN THE POPULATION REGULATION OF THEIR INSECT HOSTS