all the major markets of Europe. It has been estimated a worldwide market of
€300 millions at end user level (Cock et al. 2010), although this may have been
reduced considerably because the prices of many natural enemies have decreased
in the last years. For instance, the cost of beneficials released per hectare on sweet
peppers in Almeria has decreased from more than €2,500 to less than 1,200 in the
last 4 years. The commercial augmentative biological control is made mostly in
protected crops, and even that the biological control in greenhouses is expected to
expand considerably in the USA and also in Latin America (Bueno 2005) in the
upcoming years, at present more than three quarters of worldwide market share is
Europe. The major market in the last is Almería, estimating approx. €20 millions
in 2012 (only natural enemies, bumblebees for pollination excluded).
All manufacturers, as well as some research organizations, consultants, extension services, and distributors involved on the development of biological control are
organized since 1995 in Europe in the International Biocontrol Manufacturers
Association (IBMA). They collaborate with other associations with similar aims to
form a global federation, already with a working link with Biopesticides Industry
Alliance in North America (BPIA). In the IBMA, a total of 98 companies dealing
with production and promotion of macroorganisms are organized in a professional
group, and collaborated with the Association of Natural Biocontrol Producers in
North America, Australian Biological Control (ABC), and New Zealand.
One of the main tasks of the IBMA is to collaborate with the IOBC and the EU
and national governments for the definition and implementation of quality standards, as well as prepare environmental-risk assessment methods necessary before
introductions of exotic species. After more than 7,000 releases involving 2,700
species of exotic arthropods agents rarely have resulted in negative environmental
effects, but there are a few exceptions (Jacas 2002; Cock et al. 2009, 2010). The
establishment of a risk evaluation criteria as well as the harmonization of the
beneficial insect and mites registration is needed not only to avoid negative
environmental effects but also to keep a good image of the companies as well as to
avoid excessive costs that would choke their growth and feasibility. Considering
regulations for import and export of beneficials, the future of biocontrol could be
seriously threatened by the recent plans concerning benefit sharing under the
Convention of Biological Diversity, against which IOBC and IBMA have prepared
a position paper (Cock et al. 2010).
Quality of predators and parasitoids supplied by manufacturers is undoubtedly a
major issue to ensure the expansion of biocontrol methods as can be exemplified in
the green revolution of Almeria, where the quality of the three main released
predators, O. laevigatus (Fig. 4.4), N. tenuis (Fig. 4.5), and A. swirskii (Fig. 4.6),
have suffered major improvements due to ameliorations of the mass rearing systems
(see below). Inside the IOBC, the global Working Group named ‘Arthropod Mass
Rearing and Quality Control’ is coordinating the common efforts of investigators
and natural enemies producers to improve and guarantee quality of beneficials. One
of the major driving forces that has resulted in significant improvements in quality
is the heavy competition itself among producers. Then, development and reproduction parameters, as well as behavioral traits which need to be contrasted in field
110
E. Vila and T. Cabello
€300 millions at end user level (Cock et al. 2010), although this may have been
reduced considerably because the prices of many natural enemies have decreased
in the last years. For instance, the cost of beneficials released per hectare on sweet
peppers in Almeria has decreased from more than €2,500 to less than 1,200 in the
last 4 years. The commercial augmentative biological control is made mostly in
protected crops, and even that the biological control in greenhouses is expected to
expand considerably in the USA and also in Latin America (Bueno 2005) in the
upcoming years, at present more than three quarters of worldwide market share is
Europe. The major market in the last is Almería, estimating approx. €20 millions
in 2012 (only natural enemies, bumblebees for pollination excluded).
All manufacturers, as well as some research organizations, consultants, extension services, and distributors involved on the development of biological control are
organized since 1995 in Europe in the International Biocontrol Manufacturers
Association (IBMA). They collaborate with other associations with similar aims to
form a global federation, already with a working link with Biopesticides Industry
Alliance in North America (BPIA). In the IBMA, a total of 98 companies dealing
with production and promotion of macroorganisms are organized in a professional
group, and collaborated with the Association of Natural Biocontrol Producers in
North America, Australian Biological Control (ABC), and New Zealand.
One of the main tasks of the IBMA is to collaborate with the IOBC and the EU
and national governments for the definition and implementation of quality standards, as well as prepare environmental-risk assessment methods necessary before
introductions of exotic species. After more than 7,000 releases involving 2,700
species of exotic arthropods agents rarely have resulted in negative environmental
effects, but there are a few exceptions (Jacas 2002; Cock et al. 2009, 2010). The
establishment of a risk evaluation criteria as well as the harmonization of the
beneficial insect and mites registration is needed not only to avoid negative
environmental effects but also to keep a good image of the companies as well as to
avoid excessive costs that would choke their growth and feasibility. Considering
regulations for import and export of beneficials, the future of biocontrol could be
seriously threatened by the recent plans concerning benefit sharing under the
Convention of Biological Diversity, against which IOBC and IBMA have prepared
a position paper (Cock et al. 2010).
Quality of predators and parasitoids supplied by manufacturers is undoubtedly a
major issue to ensure the expansion of biocontrol methods as can be exemplified in
the green revolution of Almeria, where the quality of the three main released
predators, O. laevigatus (Fig. 4.4), N. tenuis (Fig. 4.5), and A. swirskii (Fig. 4.6),
have suffered major improvements due to ameliorations of the mass rearing systems
(see below). Inside the IOBC, the global Working Group named ‘Arthropod Mass
Rearing and Quality Control’ is coordinating the common efforts of investigators
and natural enemies producers to improve and guarantee quality of beneficials. One
of the major driving forces that has resulted in significant improvements in quality
is the heavy competition itself among producers. Then, development and reproduction parameters, as well as behavioral traits which need to be contrasted in field
110
E. Vila and T. Cabello