Host: The Japanese Society of Toxicology
Today’s food systems are -to large extent- anchored in chemically-intensified farming operations, and the unguided use of synthetic pesticides has become the norm in many agricultural systems. Aside from undermining ecosystem functioning, triggering biocide resistance and lowering on-farm economic profitability, this overreliance on agrochemicals carries tangible risks for human health. For example, in certain European countries, nearly 100% of citrus fruit is tainted with pesticide residues. In this talk, I will illuminate the largely untapped potential of biological control - i.e., the tactical use of beneficial pest-killing organisms for crop protection – to remediate pesticide misuse and thus eliminate its associated food safety hazards. Drawing upon the case of cassava mealybug (Phenacoccus manihoti; Hemiptera) in tropical Asia, I illustrate myriad benefits of biological control. In late 2008, the above mealybug invaded Thailand, where it inflicted a 27% drop in cassava production and triggered extensive use of pesticides. Mealybug outbreaks were permanently resolved through the introduction of a minute parasitic wasp Anagyrus lopezi (Hymenoptera). In my talk, I reveal how A. lopezi effectively suppressed P. manihoti at a continent-wide scale, delivering pest control services worth US$200-700/ha and virtually abolishing farmers’ need for pesticides. Our work underlines how biological control presents a safe, desirable alternative to synthetic pesticides and can help meet food production needs while benefiting the global economy, the environment and farmers’ pockets.
