Products used in organic farming on natural enemies

This book is aimed at students teachers researchers technicians producers and laypeople interested in pest management in organic production systems. Plant extracts and syrups based on quicklime sulphur and copper (Bordeaux mixture) are frequently used in organic farming. However little is known about the selectivity of these alternative pesticides to natural enemies which can be determined by their toxicity to these biological control agents. Records on the selectivity of these alternative pesticides in the literature are scarce and those that do exist show that this characteristic varies according to the species and the stage of development of the natural enemy thus requiring tests to evaluate each situation. Products used in organic farming on the natural enemy presents laboratory data on the selectivity of alternative pesticides commonly used in organic farming to Eriopis connexa an aphid-predator insect.