June 1999, Volume 20 No. 2
- Editorial
- General News
- Training News
- Internet Round-Up
- Announcements
- Conference Reports
- Biorational
- New Books
New Edition of `Julien'
The new, fourth edition of this Catalogue* has now been published, co-edited by Mic Julien and M. W. Griffiths. By providing a periodically updated and comprehensive reference source to the use of biotic agents in weed control, the Catalogue has become the essential reference for anyone working in weed biocontrol.
When the first edition was published in 1982, it was not envisaged to be merely a compilation of records. It was seen as a resource base for weed biocontrol scientists, to help in making sound choices among prospective agents and, importantly, to stimulate much-needed basic research to provide biological control of weeds with a sound theoretical and practical basis. In the years since, the concern of ecologists for native flora has increased and has become an issue with conservation groups in a number of countries. This has had the desirable effect of drawing the attention of biological control practitioners to their responsibilities to the community as a whole. Biological control needs to justify support not only by its track record but also by its ability to predict probable benefits as well as any level of risk. We still need to know more about the impact of different agents on weed populations and non-target populations under different conditions. This catalogue remains the best resource base and starting point for much of the research required, and for scientists who need to explain more and more what they are doing and, indeed, to justify this approach, when necessary, by reference to its success and its inherent safety.
Researchers in the field continue to be extremely generous with their time in providing the information that is presented in the Catalogue (although some have been omitted from the credits!), and this probably attests more than anything else to its usefulness.
*Julien, M.H.; Griffiths, M.W. (eds) (1998) Biological control of weeds: a world catalogue of agents and their target weeds, 4th edition. Wallingford, UK; CAB Publishing, 240 pp. ISBN 0 85199 234 X. Pbk. Price: UK£27.50/US$50.00
Biocontrol Bibliographies
Biological Control of Tobacco Pests in India1
Tobacco is one of the most important commercial crops to be cultivated in India over the past century. The economic viability of tobacco in the Indian scenario is well documented and it earns Rs 825 crores [1 crore = 10 million, or 100 lakhs] foreign exchange annually and more than Rs 500 crores excise revenue. The employment potential in the rural and tribal sector is enormous, with nearly 32 million people working on this crop. It is grown in almost all states of India. There are some ten major pests that inflict economic losses in tobacco. Biocontrol agents have been in use against tobacco pests in India since the beginning of this century and results of research have been published in various Indian and foreign journals, in workshop/symposium proceedings, books and bulletins. It was, therefore, felt imperative to consolidate the entire body of work done in this field in India in order to make better use of it. Hence, an annotated bibliography on biological control of tobacco pests in India has been compiled, which contains 154 references for materials published from 1938-98, with annotations on the use and potential of biological control of tobacco pests. This bibliography should be useful to all those interested in the pest and natural enemy fauna of tobacco in India as it covers all aspects of biological control of tobacco pests, including bio-ecology and population dynamics of pests and natural enemies, improved methods of mass-breeding of host insects and natural enemies, genetic improvement and pilot plant production of natural enemies, biochemical potentiation of microbes, Biointensive Integrated Pest Management (BIPM) practices using botanical pesticides, mechanical control and trap crops as well as natural enemies, field release rates of natural enemies and insect biotechnology. Subject and author indices are provided.
Biological Control of Sugarcane Pests in India2
An annotated bibliography of biological control of sugarcane pests in India has been compiled. Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in India, covering an area of about 2.92 million hectares with 25 million farmers being engaged in sugarcane cultivation. In addition, the sugarcane industry contributes about Rs 700 crores annually to the central exchequer by way of excise duty. Each year, more than 10% of the yield is lost due to insect pests and diseases. Nearly 225 species of pests are known to infest the sugarcane crop. As biological control has emerged as one of the sustainable methods of pest management, the need was felt to compile the sum total information available on the biological control aspects of sugarcane pests in India. The bibliography consists of 614 abstracts and is based on research papers/reports/book chapters on research work carried out during the period 1919-1998 in India on biological control of sugarcane pests. The abstracts cover aspects of biology, ecology, production, utilization, etc. of natural enemies of sugarcane pests. A subject index and an author index are also provided. This publication would be useful for both research workers and students who need information on various aspects of biological control of pests of sugarcane.
1. Singh, S.P.; Venkatesan, T. (1998) Annotated bibliography of biological control of tobacco pests in India (1938-1998). Bangalore, India; Project Directorate of Biological Control, Technical Bulletin No. 23, 56 pp.
2. Singh, S.P.; Ballal, C.R. (1998) Annotated bibliography of biological control of sugarcane pests in India (1919-1998). Bangalore, India; Project Directorate of Biological Control, Technical Bulletin No. 23, 191 pp.
One copy of either bibliography can be obtained (until stocks are exhausted) from: Project Director,
Project Directorate of Biological Control, Post Box No. 2491, H. A. Farm Post,
Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560 024, India.
Does It Eat Vegetables?
This illustrated guide* is the result of both field observations and the collection and rearing of thousands of immature and adult arthropod specimens from farmers' vegetable and soyabean fields in South-East Asia. It covers more than 250 species of arthropods, and many of these are new records or were previously identified only to the genus level. Diseases caused by fungi, protozoa, viruses and nematodes are also described. Each entry contains good colour photographs of one or more life stages. For pests, notes on the life cycle are given, damage symptoms and pest status are described, and brief notes on important natural enemies are included. For natural enemies, known crop and host associations are listed and, where available, information on life cycle, ecology and behaviour is given.
The authors note that the guide is not meant to replace field observation, but as a starting point to inspire readers to go out into the field to acquaint themselves with the dynamics that make up the vegetable/soyabean ecosystems. It is emphasized that most of the species inhabiting the fields are not pests. Even those that feed on crops will rarely reach a damaging level, and plant feeders are useful in low numbers as they provide food for beneficial species, which in turn keep potential pests in check.
*Shepard, B.M.; Carner, G.R.; Barrion, A.T.; Ooi, P.A.C.; van den Berg, H. (1999) Insects and their natural enemies associated with vegetables and soybean in Southeast Asia. 108 pp. ISBN 0 9669073 0 2. Pbk. Price for developed countries US$28.50 + $8.50 airmail postage. Contact Merle Shepard for developing country prices. Cheques payable to The Clemson University Foundation.
Contact: Merle Shepard, Clemson
University, Coastal Research and
Education Center,
2865 Savannah Highway,
Charleston, SC 29414, USA
Email:
Fax: +1 843 571 4654