Biological Control of Rice

Background

Biological control as a method of insect pest management in rice began much later than the first success in the control of cottony cushion scale in California in the late 1880s. In fact, information - on natural enemy abundance and diversity, ecology and effectiveness as biocontrol agents, effects of pesticides and cultural practices on their populations, etc. - was very limited at the time. Considerable work has been done during the later half of the 20th century, and the practice of biological control of rice pests is constantly evolving.