To: Pier LeCompte From: Sorymel Negrén Cintrén Date: September 28,2020 Subject: Trip Report On September 22, the Biology department of the UPR in Ponce and the student organization CEPA organized a videoconference on aspects of biocontrol and its effects on food production. The conference was conducted by Fernando Gallardo Covas, administrator of the Agricultural Experimental Station project. Having the opportunity to attend this meeting helped me understand the importance of conserving our soils. How important itis to plant more than one food in order to maintain soil and species conservation, The most important way to maximize what we have is to keep it. In the next report, | will be talking to you about the importance of conservation and the practice of sustainable agriculture. Maintaining biological control allows lowering pest populations and obtaining. healthy food. The Chinese more than 200 years ago were the fist to use biological control, using ants to remove insects from their citrus. In 1919 the manipulation of natural enemies to control insects began. By 1939 the German Paul Muller discovered the potential for DDT, a compound used as an insecticide and pesticide to combat human diseases and pests of farmland. Then in de 60* was discovered that this is a carcinogenic substance that affects the environment and humans. Sustainable agriculture is a system based on increasing biotic pressure so that the invasion of natural enemies allows us greater control of the plague. The effective natural enemy is known for its ability to keep pest density low. Some natural enemies can be predators (ants), sucking insects, parasitoids (wasps and flies) and pathogens (entomopathogenic fungi). In 1912, the first organism for biological control of a plague was introduced to Puerto Rico brought to control the sugarcane mealy bugs. To maintain the biotic pressure, techniques such as strip harvesting, intercropping, polyculture, zero tillage, among others, are used. This is done so as not to eliminate the host and its natural enemy. Also, to keep the soil healthy, which makes food healthier. The negative effects that affect the biotic pressure is the high disturbance in extensive monocultures. These environments are very practical, there is little or no food on the ground and a lot of insecticide is applied to them. The fruits are not healthy. After this conference I understood that we all have an important role in the world, that there is enough space for everyone, but we must learn to work together with nature in order to live in a healthier world. This conference will be of great support form my future research as it provided me important information about maintaining our resources and learning to share with nature so that it does its job,To: Pier LeCompte From: Sorymel Negrén Cintron Date: September 28,2020 Subject: Trip Report On September 22, the Biology department of the UPR in Ponce and the student organization CEPA organized a videoconference on aspects of biocontrol and its effects on food production. The conference was conducted by Femando Gallardo Covas, administrator of the Agricultural Experimental Station project. Having the opportunity to attend this meeting helped me understand the importance of conserving our soils. How important i isto plant more than one food in order to maintain soilandspecies, ~~ () conservation. The most important way to maximize wt ave is to keep it. In the next report, I will be talking to you about the importance of conservation and the practice of ‘sustainable agriculture. Maintaining biological control allows lowering pest populations and obtaining healthy food. The Chinese more than 200 years ago were the first to use biological control, ‘using ants to remove insects from their citrus. In 1919 the manipulation of natural enemies to control insects began. By 1939 the German Paul Muller discovered the potential for DDT, a compound used as an insecticide and pesticide to combat human diseases and pests of farmland. Then in de 60% was discovered that this is a carcinogenic substance that affects the environment and humans, Sustainable agriculture isa system based on increasing biotic pressure so that the invasion of natural enemies allows us greater control ofthe plague. The ‘effective natural enemy is known for its ability to keep pest density low. Some natural enemies can be predators (ants), sucking insects, parasitoids (wasps and flies) and pathogens (entomopathogenic fungi, In 1912, the fist organism for biological control of plague was introduced to Puerto Rico brought to control the sugarcane mealy bugs. ‘To maintain the biotic pressure, techniques such as strip harvesting, intereropping, polyculture, zero tillage, among others, are used. This is dane so a not to eliminate the host and its natural enemy. Also, to keep the soil healthy, which makes food healthier. The negative effects that affect the biotic pressure isthe high disturbance in extensive monocultures. These environments are very practical, there is litle or no food on the fround and lot of insecticide is applied to them. The fruits are not healthy. After this aeriference I understood that we al have an important role in the world, that thee is enough space for everyone, but we must learn to work together with nature in ordet 19 live ina poalthier world. This conference will be of great support form my future research as it provided me important information about maintaining our resources and learning to share with nature so that it does its job.