211
Biopesticides and the Toolbox Approach
scientists have developed more effective spraying techniques using spray
drift control technology, electrostatically charged spray droplets, controlled
release technology, or smart systems that direct spray just to the optimal
position for contacting the target. These improvements save on the amount
of pesticide needed for a particular situation and also prevent inadvertent
residues that can harm unintended crops, water way quality, or livestock and
wild animals. But they can also lead to more effective control of the target
pest. Related to this, information is more accessible that clearly delineates
the mere presence of a pest from the presence of a pest population of suffcient magnitude that can cause economic damage or impair safety in the
harvested commodity. Not spraying at all can sometimes be the best strategy,
generating a cycle of pest control by benefcial natural enemies, a means of
biocontrol that, once fostered, can lead to sustainable pest suppression for
many years (Monosson, 2017; Schar, 2017). This can have important ramifcations in safety of foods, as lower chemical use may lead to safer foods as well
as foods that are more widely available at relatively low costs.
Recent discussions with farming groups and food producers in China’s
Weifang Food Valley area of Shandong Province illustrate local efforts to
reduce the use of conventional pesticides and fertilizers, including
• Develop farming practices for organic produce and meat
• Encourage use of biopesticides and biofertilizers
• Control nematodes by nonchemical means, such as soil solarization
• Develop novel ways of reducing development of resistance to
pesticides
• Introduce nonchemical insect and disease controls by biological or
cultural means
• Explore the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach to fnd
new antibiotics for use in farm animals and pest control
• Assist in adoption and registration of biopesticides using an IR-4
type regional or national system such as in use in the United States
(IR-4, 2021)
12.7 Conclusions
The feld of pest management, in agriculture, public health, and home use,
is undergoing change as sole reliance on synthetic chemicals gives way to
a variety of approaches, some with little or no pesticide in the mix. Health
concerns over exposures to pesticides among agricultural workers and consumers of residue-tainted food products, as well as wildlife and nontarget
Biopesticides and the Toolbox Approach
scientists have developed more effective spraying techniques using spray
drift control technology, electrostatically charged spray droplets, controlled
release technology, or smart systems that direct spray just to the optimal
position for contacting the target. These improvements save on the amount
of pesticide needed for a particular situation and also prevent inadvertent
residues that can harm unintended crops, water way quality, or livestock and
wild animals. But they can also lead to more effective control of the target
pest. Related to this, information is more accessible that clearly delineates
the mere presence of a pest from the presence of a pest population of suffcient magnitude that can cause economic damage or impair safety in the
harvested commodity. Not spraying at all can sometimes be the best strategy,
generating a cycle of pest control by benefcial natural enemies, a means of
biocontrol that, once fostered, can lead to sustainable pest suppression for
many years (Monosson, 2017; Schar, 2017). This can have important ramifcations in safety of foods, as lower chemical use may lead to safer foods as well
as foods that are more widely available at relatively low costs.
Recent discussions with farming groups and food producers in China’s
Weifang Food Valley area of Shandong Province illustrate local efforts to
reduce the use of conventional pesticides and fertilizers, including
• Develop farming practices for organic produce and meat
• Encourage use of biopesticides and biofertilizers
• Control nematodes by nonchemical means, such as soil solarization
• Develop novel ways of reducing development of resistance to
pesticides
• Introduce nonchemical insect and disease controls by biological or
cultural means
• Explore the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach to fnd
new antibiotics for use in farm animals and pest control
• Assist in adoption and registration of biopesticides using an IR-4
type regional or national system such as in use in the United States
(IR-4, 2021)
12.7 Conclusions
The feld of pest management, in agriculture, public health, and home use,
is undergoing change as sole reliance on synthetic chemicals gives way to
a variety of approaches, some with little or no pesticide in the mix. Health
concerns over exposures to pesticides among agricultural workers and consumers of residue-tainted food products, as well as wildlife and nontarget