Biological control in Trinidad and Tobago.

Abstract

Abstract Since 1918, Trinidad and Tobago has been a rich source of biological control agents and has shipped numerous natural enemies both regionally and internationally. Successful classical biocontrol programmes using predominantly predators and parasitoids began in earnest in the 1970s, initially for Aeneolamia varia saccharina and then for Diatraea saccharalis control in sugarcane. Several other pests, including citrus blackfly Aleurocanthus woglumi, diamondback moth Plutella xylostella and pink hibiscus mealybug Maconellicoccus hirsutus, were successfully managed using biocontrol. The use of microbial agents, particularly entomopathogenic fungi, has also been assessed. Metarhizium anisopliae has caused high nymphal and adult mortality in A. varia saccharina, while Paecilomyces tenuipes has caused as much as 67% larval mortality in P. xylostella. Over the past 10 years there has been an increase in the number of exotic insect species in Trinidad and Tobago, and classical biocontrol has played and is expected to keep playing an important role in managing these invasive pests.