Biological control of rice insect pests in China

• Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world.
• Damage by insect pests is a serious challenge to rice production in China.
• Biological control is an effective method for pest control but not extensively adopted.
• Integration of new strategies in biological control should be explored.

Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world. China has the second largest area of the rice growing in the world and the highest yield of rice produced. Infestation by insect pests, especially rice planthoppers, stem borers and leaf folders, is always a serious challenge to rice production in China. Current methods for controlling insect pests in China mainly include good farming practices, biological control, breeding and growing resistant varieties, and the use of chemical insecticides. However, for farmers, the favorite method for insect pest control is still the application of chemical insecticide, which not only causes severe environmental pollution and the resurgence of herbivores but also reduces populations of the natural enemies of herbivores. To control insect pests safely, effectively and sustainably, strategies encouraging biological control are currently demanded. Here we review the progress that has been made in the development and implementation of biological controls for rice in China since the 1970s. Such progress includes the species identification of the natural enemies of rice insect pests, the characterization of their biology, and the integration of biological controls in integrated pest management. To develop effective ecological engineering programs whose aim is to implement conservation biological controls, further research, including the evaluation of the roles of plants in non-crop habitats in conservation biological controls, volatiles in enhancing efficiency of natural enemies and natural enemies in manipulating insect pests, and education to increase farmers’ knowledge of biological controls, is proposed.

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