The sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (WF) can be controlled by two commercial neem products, NeemAzal‐T/S® (1% azadirachtin) for foliar application, and NeemAzal‐U (17% azadirachtin) for soil application, alongwith two biorational products of microbial origin, Abamectin (avermectin) and Success® (spinosad). Side effects of these products were tested in a laboratory bioassay against a native aphelinid, Eretmocerus warrae (EW). Eggs and early larval instars of the parasitoid, commonly found outside the host body, were highly susceptible to foliar spray of neem with only 8%, 18% and 55% emergences of adults from treated eggs. larval and pupal stages respectively at recommended dose‐rates of 5 ml/l and 1%, 8% and 40% at twice recommend dose‐rate (10 ml/l). Soil application with NeemAzal‐U marginally affected EW. At highest tested dose‐rate of 3.0 g/l, 46%, 64% and 81% emergence was recorded after treatement of plants harbouring WF parasitized by egg, larval and pupal stages of EW respectively. In contrast to neem application, Success® and Abamectin caused high mortality in development stages of the parasitoids. In particular, abamectin was highly toxic to the parasitoids with less than 1% emergence from either of the three development stages if treated with 1–2 ml/l.
This paper deals with the relevance of biotechnology and IPM to small scale farmers in South and Southeast Asia. IPM may be defined as the combination and integration of approaches t o pest management. which maximizes real profitability and genuine sustainability for the users and farming system and gives due regard to the environment. Alternative and practical pest management options should be developed for small scale farmers who could become experts in crop management and capable of making informed decisions through training in field schools. T h e latest development of biotechnology includes diagnostics, biological pesticides (either genetically manipulated or not genetically manipulated), transgenic plants and animals (vertebrates and invertebrates) and informatics. T h e place of biotechnology in rice IPM and vegetable IPM in South and Southeast Asia is discussed. Examples of soybean caterpillar in Brazil and rice blast in Vietnam illustrate the benefits of a strong working partnership between farmers, trainers and researchers in creating new knowledge which promotes sustainable agriculture.
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