Mass Production and Quality of Biological Control Agents

Mass Production and Quality of Biological Control Agents Jennifer L. Gillett, Heidi N. Hans. Petersen & Norman C. Leppla UF/IFAS~IPM Florida

Of all known insects only <1/10 of 1% are serious pests

Development of Commercial Biological Control California Environmental Protection Agency- Department of Pesticide Regulation 142 suppliers, 130 species (1997)

New Product Development

Amblyseius swirskii

Feltiella acarisuga Diptera: Cecidomyiidae (Therodiplosis persicae in Europe)

Multi-cellular Invertebrate Natural Enemies

Purposes for Rearing Insects

Types of Insect Rearing Systems Blister Beetles Medflies

Medfly Screwworm

Options for Colonizing Insects

Parasite and Predator Rearing

Options for Colonizing Insects

Maintaining the Quality of Colonized Insects • Collection of appropriate biotypes • Colonization and strain development • Rearing proficiency • Colony management • Behavior-genetic selection • Strain replacement

Quality Control Criteria • Quantity- number of pupae & adults • Size- weight of pupae • Fecundity- oviposition & egg hatch • Rate of Development- synchronization • Adult Behavior- flight & longevity • Field Performance- achieve purpose

Structured Diagnostic Procedures

Periodic Review Versus Crisis Review Screwworm

Total Quality Management

Generic Guidelines for Quality Systems • • Policy, planning and administration Design assurance and change control Control of purchased materials Production quality control User contact and field performance Corrective action Employee selection, training and motivation

IOBC To facilitate and advance cost-effective rearing of highquality insects and other arthropods in support of biological control and integrated pest management

Workshops of the IOBC, WGQC (AMRQC) 1982 1984 1986 1988 1991 1992 1993 1995 1998 2003 Gainesville, Florida Wadenswil, Switzerland Guatemala City, Guatemala Vancouver, Canada Wageningen, The Netherlands Horsholm, Denmark Rimini, Italy Santa Barbara, California Cali, Colombia Montpellier, France E. F. Boller and D. L. Chambers C. 0. Calkins F. Bigler and J. C. van Lenteren F. Bigler M. Benuzzi and N. C. Leppla R. F. Luck and N. C. Leppla and T. R. Ashley K. Bolckmans, P. De Clercq, S. Grenier, A. Hale and N. Leppla

IOBC, AMRQC

Commercial Biological Control Organizations

Global QC Programs • Individual Companies Customers • International Standards ISO 9000 ASTM (Amer. Soc. for Testing & Materials) IOBC Guidelines (European Community) • The Marketplace Quality Products

Insect Rearing and Quality Control References v Rearing of Insects (Encyclopedia of Insects, Resh & Carde 2002) v The Basics of Insect Rearing (Encyclopedia of Entomology, Capinera 2004) v Guidelines for quality control of commercially produced natural enemies (Quality Control and Production of Biological Control Agents, Theory and Testing Procedures, van Lenteren 2003). v The Foundation of Quality Control for Insect Rearing (Principles and Procedures for Rearing Quality Insects, Mississippi State University, Schneider 2006)

Information on Commercial Biological Control http: //ipm. ifas. ufl. edu