Mass Production and Quality of Biological Control Agents Jennifer L. Gillett, Heidi N. HansPetersen & Norman C. Leppla UF/IFAS~IPM Florida UF/IFAS~IPM Florida

Of all known insects only <1/10 of 1% are serious pests

Development of Commercial Biological Control 142 suppliers, 130 species (1997) California Environmental Protection Agency- Department of Pesticide Regulation

New Product Development

Amblyseius swirskii

Feltiella acarisuga Diptera: Cecidomyiidae (Therodiplosis persicae in Europe)

Multi-cellular Invertebrate Natural Enemies

Purposes for Rearing Insects

Blister Beetles Medflies Types of Insect Rearing Systems

Screwworm Medfly

Options for Colonizing Insects

Parasite and Predator Rearing

Options for Colonizing Insects

Maintaining the Quality of Colonized Insects Collection of appropriate biotypesCollection of appropriate biotypes Colonization and strain developmentColonization and strain development Rearing proficiencyRearing proficiency Colony managementColony management Behavior-genetic selectionBehavior-genetic selection Strain replacementStrain replacement

Quality Control Criteria Quantity- number of pupae & adultsQuantity- number of pupae & adults Size- weight of pupaeSize- weight of pupae Fecundity- oviposition & egg hatchFecundity- oviposition & egg hatch Rate of Development- synchronizationRate of Development- synchronization Adult Behavior- flight & longevityAdult Behavior- flight & longevity Field Performance- achieve purposeField Performance- achieve purpose

Structured Diagnostic Procedures

Periodic Review Versus Crisis Review Screwworm

Total Quality Management

Generic Guidelines for Quality Systems Policy, planning and administrationPolicy, planning and administration Design assurance and change controlDesign assurance and change control Control of purchased materialsControl of purchased materials Production quality controlProduction quality control User contact and field performanceUser contact and field performance Corrective actionCorrective action Employee selection, training and motivationEmployee selection, training and motivation

To facilitate and advance cost-effective rearing of high- quality insects and other arthropods in support of biological control and integrated pest management IOBC

Workshops of the IOBC, WGQC (AMRQC) 1982Gainesville, FloridaE. F. Boller and D. L. Chambers 1984Wadenswil, SwitzerlandE. F. Boller and D. L. Chambers 1986Guatemala City, GuatemalaC. 0. Calkins 1988Vancouver, CanadaC. 0. Calkins 1991Wageningen, The NetherlandsF. Bigler and J. C. van Lenteren 1992Horsholm, DenmarkF. Bigler 1993Rimini, ItalyM. Benuzzi and N. C. Leppla 1995Santa Barbara, CaliforniaR. F. Luck and N. C. Leppla 1998Cali, ColombiaN. C. Leppla and T. R. Ashley 2003Montpellier, FranceK. Bolckmans, P. De Clercq, S. Grenier, A. Hale and N. Leppla

IOBC, AMRQC

Commercial Biological Control Organizations

Global QC Programs Individual Companies CustomersIndividual Companies Customers International Standards ISO 9000 ASTM (Amer. Soc. for Testing & Materials) IOBC Guidelines (European Community)International Standards ISO 9000 ASTM (Amer. Soc. for Testing & Materials) IOBC Guidelines (European Community) The Marketplace Quality ProductsThe Marketplace Quality Products

Insect Rearing and Quality Control References  Rearing of Insects (Encyclopedia of Insects, Resh & Carde 2002)  The Basics of Insect Rearing (Encyclopedia of Entomology, Capinera 2004)  Guidelines for quality control of commercially produced natural enemies (Quality Control and Production of Biological Control Agents, Theory and Testing Procedures, van Lenteren 2003).  The Foundation of Quality Control for Insect Rearing (Principles and Procedures for Rearing Quality Insects, Mississippi State University, Schneider 2006)

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