Biological agents and biotechnological tools for pest control

Abstract

Over the last few decades, the pest control strategies have progressively focused towards integrated pest management, limiting the use of the chemical control and enhancing the use of biological agents. Scientific evidences in human nutrition and social awareness ask for fruits and vegetables productions with low chemical residues. In this context, research promoted development and marketing of eective plant protection products with a more favorable eco-toxicological profile. As regards to the insecticides, some insecticide formulations based on plant extracts and microbiological formulations are widely used. Moreover, the sexual pheromones are largely used both in the open field and in protected crops (mating disruption), as well as the “attract & kill” techniques that exploit the attracting action of food baits; at the same time, the use of natural enemies (arthropods and nematodes) is also widely applied. Applications of eco-sustainable control strategies on grapes and protected crops in Sicily are here reported.