A

Presentation
On

PREsenED BY
RAJENDRA KUMAR SINGH
Priti gupta
B.TECH.(BT) – 7th SEM.
 What is Biological Control?
 De Bach (1964) -
“The action of parasites, predators or pathogens in
maintaining another organism’s density at a lower
average than would occur in their absence.”

•Biological control of pests in agriculture is a method of

controlling pests (including insects, mites, weeds and
plant diseases) that relies on predation, parasitism, or other
natural mechanisms.
Biological Control Agents
•Natural enemies of insect pests, also known as
biological control agents, include predators,
parasitoids, and pathogens.

Predators
•Predators, such as lady beetles and lacewings,
are mainly free-living species that consume a
large number of prey during their lifetime.

Parasites
•An organism that lives intimately in, or
on, a host organism from which it derives
nourishment.
Parasitoid
•A parasitoid is an organism that spends a
significant portion of its life history
attached to or within a single host organism
which it ultimately kills (and often
consumes) in the process.

Pathogen
•A pathogen , infectious agent, or more
commonly germ, is a biological agent that
causes disease or illness to its host .
Biological Control Agents (BCAs)
BCAs can be classified as follows :
 Macrobial : beneficial nematodes, …

 Microbial : virus, fungi, bacteria, …

 Natural products : plant extracts with

insecticide, fungicide

Examples- Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), Baculoviruses,

Azadirachta indica (Neem) ,Trichoderma,
Trichogramma etc
 Techniques of Biological
Control
1. Introduction or Importation
2. Augmentation
3. Conservation

•Introduction or Importation
If sufficient effective natural enemies are not present
to control pests, introduction of effective natural enemy
species is necessary.
• Augmentation
Augmentation is the periodic release of a natural
enemy that does not occur naturally in sufficient
numbers to keep a pest below damaging levels

• Conservation
Conservation as a biological control method includes
crop management practices that protect and
encourage natural enemies and increase their impact
on pests
Biopesticides and Bio-control Agents
•Biopesticides are derived from animals, plants and micro-organisms such
as bacteria and viruses.

• The advantages are:

• They are inherently less harmful than chemical pesticides;
• They are more target specific than chemical pesticides affecting only the
target pests and their close relatives. In contrast, chemical pesticides often
destroy friendly insects, birds and mammals.
• They are often effective in small quantities. Also, they decompose
quickly and do not leave problematic residues.

The most commonly used biopesticides include Bacillus thuringiensis

(Bt), Baculoviruses and neem. In addition to these, trichoderma, which is a
fungicide, is also used. Biocontrol agents, such as Trichogramma, are
parasites and predators of pests and their eggs.
Mass Production of Trichogramma for the
control of lepidopterous pests

Forester Moth
Trichogramma Corcyra cephalonica (lepidopterous pest)
 Butterflies / skippers, moths
Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is an order of
insect that includes moths
and butterflies. It is one of Scientific classification
the most speciose orders in Kingdom: Animalia
the class Insecta,
Phylum: Arthropoda
encompassing moths and
the three superfamilies of Class: Insecta

butterflies, Subclass: Pterygota

skipper butterflies, and
Infraclass: Neoptera
moth-butterflies. Members
of the order are referred to Superorder: Endopterygota

as lepidopterans Order: Lepidoptera

 Trichogramma
(moth egg parasitoid)

The name Trichogramma refers to a number of tiny wasps

belonging to the family Trichogrammatidae.
They are stout-bodied, minute wasps that attacks the eggs
over 150 species of moths, including cabbage looper,
codling moth, oriental fruit moth, twig borers and fruitworms.

Adults are less than 1 mm (1/25 inch) long.

Forewings are broader and hairy.

Larvae develop entirely inside the eggs of moths, which

darken when they are parasitized.
 Biology of Trichogramma

Egg stage – 16-24 hrs

Larval period – 2-3 days

Pupal period – 2-3 days

Adult lives for 1-2 days.

•It completes its life cycle on the eggs of lepidopteran pests. Duration of different
stages are as follows –

Summers - 8-10 days

Winters - 12 days

•A single adult female lays about 100 eggs. It can fly up to 18-20 m.
 Biodiversity of Trichogramma species used in INDIA
200 Hosts ,26 Species from India, 7 spp Lab Prod.

Trichogramma Species Insect Host Crop/ Tree

Sugar cane borer Sugar cane
Tomato fruit borer
T. chilonis cotton boll worms Cotton
Maize stem borer Tomato
Leaf eating caterpillar
T. exiguum
T. achaeae Cotton spotted boll worm
and pink boll worm Maize
Sugarcane top borer
T. japonicum Paddy stem borer Citrus
T. brasiliensis Cotton boll worms Paddy
T. eldanae Tomato fruit borer
Sugarcane borer
T. embryophagum Codling moth Apple
 Trichogramma Use in Biocontrol

Trichogramma is an important bio-control agent as they are egg

parasitoids, mainly of Lepidopteran eggs. Up to three wasp larvae may
develop in each Lepidopteran egg.

They are very important biological control agents because they kill pests
before they hatch and start feeding on your crop.

Several different species of Trichogramma are used in various crop

ecosystem.
Trichogramma chilonis in sugarcane, tomato, capsicum, beans and cotton.,
Trichogramma japonicum in sugarcane and paddy,
T. embryophagum for codling moth.

Optimum conditions are moderate temperatures of 20-27 ºC (68-81 ºF)

and relative humidity 60%.
Mass Rearing Trichogramma for
Commercial Release

•The idea of "farming" Trichogramma for control of

caterpillar pests was discussed in detail in 1895 at a
meeting of the London Entomological and Natural
History Society. Fig:- Corcyra cephalonica

•Rearing Trichogramma requires first rearing an insect, typically a

species of moth, to produce eggs in which the wasps will develop. The
Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella, and the Mediterranean
flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella, are easily and inexpensively reared on
wheat or other grains and are commonly used to rear Trichogramma.

•They are mass multiplied in captivity on surrogate host

like Corcyra cephalonica.
Flow chart for preparation of
Trichogramma cards
Charging of culture boxes
Collection of adults of host of

Trichogramma (Corcyra
cephalonica)
Egg collection from adults

Preparation of trichocards from these eggs

 UV treatment of eggs for 15 min

These cards are exposed to

trichogramma sp. for parasitization

The parasitized eggs turn black on 5th day

Trichocards stored for up to 10-15

days in refrigerator at 10 °C at
pupa stage
Mass Production Technology of Trichogramma
How are the parasitoids released?

•For field release, the trichocards are cut into small pieces
and the pieces are stapled underneath the leaves. This
method is relatively easier and the distribution of the
parasitoid is uniform.

•Trichogramma should preferably be released in the

evening hours

•Thirty minutes after emergence, the parasitoids actively

search for their hosts.
Release rates
•Trichogramma is available in the form of cards
containing 20,000 parasitized eggs which have 90-96 %
hatching within 7-10 days of parasitization.

•Trichocards are released @ 1 trichocard / acres.

Release of Tricho
card released in
the Rice field
 Why use Trichogramma?

Trichogramma parasitizes the eggs, thus killing bollworms

and other lepidopterous pests before they could inflict
damage on the host plant.

The use of trichogramma reduces chemical spraying and

preserves predators or natural enemies.

They are host-specific, thus safe to use.

They are cheap and can be mass-reared cheaply and

conveniently in the laboratory on unnatural hosts.
Things to keep in mind when using Trichogramma
Wasps live longer when they have access to flower
nectar. Flowering plants in the field may enhance
parasitism levels.

Choose insecticides carefully when you have to spray.

Broad spectrum chemical insecticides, including the
synthetic pyrethroids, are usually very toxic to
Trichogramma and should be avoided whenever
possible.

 Maintaining habitat diversity on-farm - This can be

achieved by growing a mixture of crops and avoiding
monocultures. Sorghum and maize are particularly good
nursery crops for Trichogramma because they often
contain high numbers of eggs.
 Limitations of Trichogramma
•Trichogramma eggs have to be used within a short
period (before the eggs hatch). This limits their
production and marketing on a large scale, and is also
the reason why Trichogramma is not sold through
dealers and shopkeepers
 Special Thanks…
 Mr.Neeraj Mishra (HOD of Biotechnology)
 Dr.Vinod Bihari (Project guide)

 Mr. Gopal Tiwari (Class teacher)

 Dr.Seema Rathour (Controller of training)

 Er.Kamna Dubey (Programme coordinator)

Thank