Brazilian agriculture has shown significant results in recent years, largely through the use of new technologies, including superior genetics and good agricultural practices. The biological control of pests through biological inputs or bioinputs is one of these new practices, and makes up the Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
To collaborate with farmers, technicians and public and private extension agents, in recognizing beneficial organisms and how to effectively use them on the agricultural property, Embrapa Milho e Sorgo launches the book Biological control of corn pests: an opportunity for farmers. The author of the work is researcher Ivan Cruz, master and doctor in entomology, integrated pest management and biological control. According to him, the availability of products is not a guarantee of success in pest control. “Success can happen as soon as there is adequate training and use of new agricultural processes, associated with each biological product”, he advises.
In 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) launched the National Bioinputs Program, further valuing this practice, with the aim of disseminating technologies. “Due to this demand and new actions, the growing number of biological products in Brazil, already sold and under development by different companies, is visible”, says the researcher. Two important factors, cited by Cruz, are raising farmers' awareness about the benefits of biological control and the continuous training of rural extension agents and farmers.
“A major difficulty in establishing a biological control program on rural properties is the lack of knowledge that allows farmers to recognize and separate pests from beneficial insects. There is an urgent need to train these farmers, showing them that the beneficial insects are those that both feed on insect pests and those that are essential in agricultural production, doing the job of pollination, like bees”, he describes.
“Specific publications that show, through photographs, films and even training courses, with a good workload, inside the farmer's property, are strategies that work properly to increase the awareness of the producer and his family about the importance of biodiversity of beneficial insects in their work routine”, adds Cruz.
He says that the book may be periodically updated with new photos. “By using the photos published here and new images of biological control agents found locally, in association with different pest species, we will have continuous training for farmers. This information will serve to compose an open access database for the recognition of natural enemies and pests”, he says.
Frederico Durães, general manager of Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, highlights that this theme fits into the context and dynamics of creative movements for food security, with productivity and sustainability. “The book is the result of contributions from professionals at different times, many of them referenced in the publication’s texts, as well as from partner institutions, such as CNPq, Fapesp, Fapemig, Universities and Grupo Vittia.”
Among the subjects described in the publication are the meaning, importance and advantages of using biological control; biological control applied to agriculture and corn cultivation; the use of parasitoid insects such as Trichogramma, Telenomus and Giron; and the use of predators such as ladybugs, earwigs, bedbugs, beetles, wasps and many others. Furthermore, it provides information on conservative biological control.
Those interested in finding out more about the book and participating in the next biological control training to be promoted by researcher Ivan Cruz and his team at Embrapa Milho e Sorgo can send a message to the email address ivan.cruz@embrapa.br.
The book is free and is available for download via the Embrapa library links.
Portuguese version
https://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/1143210
English version
https://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/1143211
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