"The use of biological agents for phytosanitary management has increased considerably in recent years, which is due to the awareness of the benefits derived from its use. Several factors contribute to this new perception, among which are the selection of populations of resistant organisms caused by indiscriminate use of phytosanitary products, the problems related to environmental contamination, and exposure of the applicators to the products used. Besides that, producers have recognized this form of control as a highly efficient technique and responsible for guaranteeing quality and free of chemical residue products, which meets the demands of a consumer market increasingly aware of the need for healthy and safe health foods.
These arguments have encouraged the scientific community to develop more sustainable control strategies with the consequent formation of research groups on biological control of pest arthropods, weeds, and plant diseases in order to contribute to the expansion and success of this control method. In addition, regulatory requirements imposed by the United States and European countries, which determine acceptable levels of residues and banned active ingredients, have raised expectations of growth in the number of companies producing biological control agents in the world.
The megadiversity of species present in the Neotropical region, which is represented by the countries of Latin America, and the Caribbean islands, gives this region high exploration potential for bioprospecting new control agents. However, although there are research projects and published studies, pest management with the use of natural enemies is still incipient, and the knowledge generated is dispersed, not contextualizing the reality about the use of biological control in diverse environments in that part of the continent.
The reader will find in Natural Enemies of Insect Pests in Neotropical Agroecosystems: Biological Control and Functional Biodiversity a set of information related to the functionality of plant diversification, focusing on agricultural production and biological control (conservative and large-scale production) and the use of these bioagents in large crops, pastures, forests, ornamental and horticultural plants, weeds, and plant diseases. Finally, examples of biological control integration with other pest management strategies resulting from research carried out in Latin America will be addressed.
The book has the participation of 92 researchers from 33 research institutions and universities from 8 Latin American countries. Many of the results presented in the book are the fruit of research projects of undergraduate students and the graduate program in Entomology (PPGEN) of Lavras Federal University (UFLA), as well as of former PPGEN graduates who currently act as researchers in Brazilian institutions and other Latin American countries. Thus, 35 PPGEN graduates contributed to the preparation of the book, which will be a vehicle for disseminating the knowledge generated in the area of CB in the last 30 years of PPGEN/UFLA." (Brígida Souza, Luis L. Vázquez & Rosangela C. Marucci)
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