subject: Biological Pest Control Breeding For Host Resistance [print this page] There are various methods of biological pest control through which the pest population can be suppressed easily. One such method includes breeding of plants, so that they can resist pest attacks easily and grow healthily. The genetic traits of the plants play a key role in this method, as some of these traits can resist pests more effectively than any other type of pest control products.
Controlled breeding gives the plant a naturally strong immune system that can fight the pests easily and this is an effective pest control measure.
Breeders have applied various approaches for effective host resistance. Some of them are briefly discussed below:
Antibiosis: The compound known as allelochemicals that are used for protection by plants can truly be harmful for herbivores in various ways. Breeder usually select plants that produce allelochemicals and breed them with less immune plants, so that a new and strong hybrid variety can be produced with natural pest control properties.
Antixenosis: There are certain plants that possess physical or chemical properties which help them in preventing attacks from herbivores. Usually physical attributes, such as hair, waxes, thick epidermis or presence of certain chemicals that are not suitable for pests to feed on are present in the plants, helping them to grow without any menace from pests. Breeding plants with those plants possessing feeding repellants also acts great as effective pest control.
Tolerance: Some plants are born with genotypes that are responsible for a greater tolerance to pest attacks these plants act as natural pest control agents. When these plants are successfully bred with plants with less tolerance, it produces hybrids with greater tolerance level which prove to be far more effective in controlling pest population.
Controlled breeding of plants can truly generate superior varieties with higher resistance power leading to successful prevention from pest attacks without the use of any pest control products. Breeding programs are highly effective, but costly as well. However, when situation calls for rapid pest control measures, these methods can surely help to resist pest attack.
by: pest control
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