control of pests in rice, pea, soybean, tomato, cotton, corn, cucumber, pomegranate
and apple [involving species of Trichogramma and Bracon hebetor (Hym.:
Braconidae), Chrysoperla carnea (Neu.: Chrysopidae) and phytoseiid predatory
mites], sugarcane field [by Platytelenomus hylas (Hym.: Scelionidae)], mulberry
[with Prospaltella belesi (Hym.: Aphelinidae)], citrus and tea [using Cryptolaemus
montrouzieri (Col.: Cocccinellidae)] and pistachio’s pests (with C. carnea) (Anonymous 2020). Also, about 130,000 kg of B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt) was
applied on more than 13,000 ha of different crops like rice, cotton, corn and apple for
control of lepidopteran pests. It is noteworthy that biological control in greenhouses
which started in 2009 on 12 ha, has been extended to manage insect pests of different
greenhouse crops include cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant, bell pepper and
Fig. 1.18 Information about annual mass rearing and use of biocontrol agents in various provinces
of the country (a) and application quantity of biocontrol agents in main crops through 2018–2019
(ha) (b). (Data retrieved from PPO 2019)
18
J. Karimi and S. Kamali
and apple [involving species of Trichogramma and Bracon hebetor (Hym.:
Braconidae), Chrysoperla carnea (Neu.: Chrysopidae) and phytoseiid predatory
mites], sugarcane field [by Platytelenomus hylas (Hym.: Scelionidae)], mulberry
[with Prospaltella belesi (Hym.: Aphelinidae)], citrus and tea [using Cryptolaemus
montrouzieri (Col.: Cocccinellidae)] and pistachio’s pests (with C. carnea) (Anonymous 2020). Also, about 130,000 kg of B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt) was
applied on more than 13,000 ha of different crops like rice, cotton, corn and apple for
control of lepidopteran pests. It is noteworthy that biological control in greenhouses
which started in 2009 on 12 ha, has been extended to manage insect pests of different
greenhouse crops include cucumber, tomato, strawberry, eggplant, bell pepper and
Fig. 1.18 Information about annual mass rearing and use of biocontrol agents in various provinces
of the country (a) and application quantity of biocontrol agents in main crops through 2018–2019
(ha) (b). (Data retrieved from PPO 2019)
18
J. Karimi and S. Kamali