Characteristics of Biological Control Agents
In order to be considered as effective biocontrol agents they need to fulfil a number of conditions, a few of which are detailed below.
- It should be able to colonies new environments and produce many copies of itself.
- It must be able to outlive its rivals and survive for a longer period of time in both the soil and the host tissue.
- It is essential that the environment, as well as the hosts themselves, be not harmed by its presence.
- Biomass must have a substantial duration of useability once production has concluded.
- During distribution and application, there should be room for the agent to fully express themselves.
- Its searching ability must be thorough and effective.
- It must feature strong rates of predation or parasitism.
- It needs to show the lowest feasible handling time, and the ability to tolerate at low prey concentrations.
- Capacity for adjustment in response to a wide range of environmental conditions
- It should not be harmful to plants or animals and have a significant advantage over other species.
- Must possess high chance of surviving in soil or host tissues, despite being able to inhibit or eradicate several diseases.
Biocontrol Agents – Types, Advantages, Disadvantages
Biocontrol agents are also referred to as biological control agents. It includes microbes that serve the purpose of safeguarding plants from parasitic organisms. Microbes refer to little unicellular creatures. Our naked eyes cannot perceive them because microbes are very tiny. Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, and Parasitoids are various microbes that work as agents safeguarding plants from invasive species by killing them. This article aims to explore the topic of biocontrol agents, including their varieties, biocontrol methods, advantages, and disadvantages.