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Biological Control
Biological control is the deliberate use of introduced and native natural enemies -predators, parasites, pathogens and competitors to suppress and maintain populations of a target pest species (arthropod, weed, plant pathogen or other pest organism).
The common strategies for biological can be described as:
- Conservation biological control: practices that encourage the presence, reproduction, survival and
effectiveness of existing natural enemies of pests.
- Classical biological control: the introduction of a pest's natural enemies to a new location where they do not naturally occur.
- Augmentative biological control: the
supplemental release of natural enemies to increase their numbers and
effectiveness against a pest.