4.4 Contribution to Research Development
The Regional IPM Programme in the Near East in collaboration with the Research
Institute of Plant Protection (IRIPP) is working on IPM for reducing pesticide
hazards and increasing biodiversity, established a technical training site on IPM,
Biological Control and Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) at the Biological Control
Research Department, IRIPP. In 2009, the Iranian Research Institute of Plant
Protection (IRIPP) requested the FAO Regional IPM Programme National Project
Director in Iran to set up a unit for National and Regional Training on Biological
Control at Farm Level. Accordingly, the unit was designed and constructed taking
into account all the basic needs for such a unit, including greenhouses, labs, preys
and predators propagation sites, classrooms, and other requirements. This site has
become a major reference facility conducting comprehensive research on IPM
science and technology (Fathi et al. 2011).
4.5 How Can Improve the Biological Control by Mites in
Iran?
The faunistic and floristic richness of Iran could be an excellent opportunity for the
biological control. Most of the biological control agents in agricultural products are
available in the Iran ecosystems. Faunistic studies in the agro-ecosystems are in
progress at the fields, gardens, forests, grasslands, and pastureland ecosystems.
Considering cultural and economic conditions, the employing beneficial agents in
greenhouses is more feasible than in other ecosystems because in an enclosed space
release of several natural enemies is more controllable. In spite of some preliminary
attempts for Phytoseiids and Laelapids, predatory mite mass production has not been
conducted in Iran extensively. Only some studies were conducted with personal
goals or trainings in the field. The country needs to large and organized insectariums
as well technical knowledge with skilled experts and equipments. They should be
designed based on the biological and behavioral characteristics of the predatory
mites. The last step is the evaluation and quality control methods according to
international standards. Imperfect identification of predatorry mite fauna in different
ecosystems and insufficient attention to the suppressing role of predatory mites in
fields and greenhouses are major hindering factors that have reduced the rate of
progression of biological control by predatory mites in Iran. Development of biological control requires long-term financial supported applied researches on different
aspects of predatory mites, their compatibility and performance, especially relying
on the results of applied researches in other countries (Ashouri 2011).
160
H. Madadi and H. Kamali
The Regional IPM Programme in the Near East in collaboration with the Research
Institute of Plant Protection (IRIPP) is working on IPM for reducing pesticide
hazards and increasing biodiversity, established a technical training site on IPM,
Biological Control and Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) at the Biological Control
Research Department, IRIPP. In 2009, the Iranian Research Institute of Plant
Protection (IRIPP) requested the FAO Regional IPM Programme National Project
Director in Iran to set up a unit for National and Regional Training on Biological
Control at Farm Level. Accordingly, the unit was designed and constructed taking
into account all the basic needs for such a unit, including greenhouses, labs, preys
and predators propagation sites, classrooms, and other requirements. This site has
become a major reference facility conducting comprehensive research on IPM
science and technology (Fathi et al. 2011).
4.5 How Can Improve the Biological Control by Mites in
Iran?
The faunistic and floristic richness of Iran could be an excellent opportunity for the
biological control. Most of the biological control agents in agricultural products are
available in the Iran ecosystems. Faunistic studies in the agro-ecosystems are in
progress at the fields, gardens, forests, grasslands, and pastureland ecosystems.
Considering cultural and economic conditions, the employing beneficial agents in
greenhouses is more feasible than in other ecosystems because in an enclosed space
release of several natural enemies is more controllable. In spite of some preliminary
attempts for Phytoseiids and Laelapids, predatory mite mass production has not been
conducted in Iran extensively. Only some studies were conducted with personal
goals or trainings in the field. The country needs to large and organized insectariums
as well technical knowledge with skilled experts and equipments. They should be
designed based on the biological and behavioral characteristics of the predatory
mites. The last step is the evaluation and quality control methods according to
international standards. Imperfect identification of predatorry mite fauna in different
ecosystems and insufficient attention to the suppressing role of predatory mites in
fields and greenhouses are major hindering factors that have reduced the rate of
progression of biological control by predatory mites in Iran. Development of biological control requires long-term financial supported applied researches on different
aspects of predatory mites, their compatibility and performance, especially relying
on the results of applied researches in other countries (Ashouri 2011).
160
H. Madadi and H. Kamali