Chapter 15
Biological Control of Greenhouse Pests in
Iran
Zahra Tazerouni and Ali Asghar Talebi
15.1 Introduction
The changes in the weather condition and amount of rainfall affect the types of crops
grown in different parts of the world. Climate change and decreasing of precipitation
increased the greenhouse cultivation in Iran in order to use the available resources.
The greenhouse productions are important because besides supplying the local
markets, they are greatly valued for their export potential and play an important
role in the foreign trade balance of several national economies. However, the
intensification of greenhouse crop production has created favorable conditions for
many devastating pests and diseases. In greenhouse conditions, pests and diseases
develop rapidly. Therefore, early detection and diagnosis of pest insects are necessary to make control decisions before the problem gets out of hand and suffer
economic loss (FAO 2013).
Biological control as a main part of integrated pest management (IPM) is one of
the best options for controlling pests in greenhouses. Natural enemies (parasitoids,
predators or pathogens) are best used early in the crop growth cycle when plants are
small, pest numbers are low and damage is not yet observed. Also, a detailed action
plan needed to ensure success (Perdikis et al. 2008).
In this chapter, main pests on important greenhouse production and their effective
biological control agents in Iran is discussed.
Z. Tazerouni · A. A. Talebi (*)
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
e-mail: talebia@modares.ac.ir
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. Karimi, H. Madadi (eds.), Biological Control of Insect and Mite Pests in Iran,
Progress in Biological Control 18, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63990-7_15
553
Biological Control of Greenhouse Pests in
Iran
Zahra Tazerouni and Ali Asghar Talebi
15.1 Introduction
The changes in the weather condition and amount of rainfall affect the types of crops
grown in different parts of the world. Climate change and decreasing of precipitation
increased the greenhouse cultivation in Iran in order to use the available resources.
The greenhouse productions are important because besides supplying the local
markets, they are greatly valued for their export potential and play an important
role in the foreign trade balance of several national economies. However, the
intensification of greenhouse crop production has created favorable conditions for
many devastating pests and diseases. In greenhouse conditions, pests and diseases
develop rapidly. Therefore, early detection and diagnosis of pest insects are necessary to make control decisions before the problem gets out of hand and suffer
economic loss (FAO 2013).
Biological control as a main part of integrated pest management (IPM) is one of
the best options for controlling pests in greenhouses. Natural enemies (parasitoids,
predators or pathogens) are best used early in the crop growth cycle when plants are
small, pest numbers are low and damage is not yet observed. Also, a detailed action
plan needed to ensure success (Perdikis et al. 2008).
In this chapter, main pests on important greenhouse production and their effective
biological control agents in Iran is discussed.
Z. Tazerouni · A. A. Talebi (*)
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
e-mail: talebia@modares.ac.ir
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. Karimi, H. Madadi (eds.), Biological Control of Insect and Mite Pests in Iran,
Progress in Biological Control 18, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63990-7_15
553