1. Natural Enemies “ Friends of the Farmer” A presentation about natural pest control practices Adapted from IFOAM Training Manual on Organic Farming In the Tropics Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network
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3. Ecology of Pests and Diseases What is Ecology??? “ Study of relationships between organisms and their environment” Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 1
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5. INSECT Population Temperature Wind Humidity Light Other members of the species Competitors Food sources Natural enemies Ecology of Pests and Diseases Factors Influencing Insect Ecology Source: IFOAM Training Manual Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 3
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7. Ecology of Pests and Diseases Pupa Egg Mass Life Cycle of rice yellow stem borer ( Scirpophaga incertulas ) Larva (5 stages) Adult Moths Common Life Cycle Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 5
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9. Ecology of Pests and Diseases What do you think happens when you use a pesticide that kills ALL insects, including the beneficial, predator insects ??? = Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 7 Pesticide Use
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11. Ecology of Pests and Diseases Source: IFOAM Training Manual Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 9
12. Promoting Natural Enemies Uses and Characteristics of Natural Enemies Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 10 Pathogens (fungi, bacteria or viruses) Predators (spiders, lady beetles, syrphid flies) Parasitoids (wasps or flies) Nematodes (tiny soil dwelling worms)
16. Example of Bio-Control Use of Trichogramma to control the tomato fruitborer The tiny black wasps (Trichogramma brasiliensis) search the eggs of the tomato fruitborer to lay their own eggs into them. Instead of a fruitborer larva, a tiny wasp emerges out of the egg. Trichogramma is harmless to the tomato plant. It is mass reared and can be released into the field on “trichocards”, containing several thousand parasitoid eggs. In India, a trichocard containing 20,000 parasitoid eggs costs only Rs.20 to 30 (≈ US$ 0,5). Stages of the Tomato Fruitborer lifecycle Eggs Adult Pupa Larvae Fertile Ground: East/West Sustainability Network 14