Beneficial Arthropods and

Microorganisms of Crops

Garry L. Calitang
Faculty,
College of
Agriculture
OMSC
 RA 10068
“ORGANIC AGRICULTURE OF 2010”

Organic Agriculture includes all agricultural

systems that promote the
 ecologically sound,
 socially acceptable,
 economically viable and
 technically feasible production of food and fibers.

Organic agricultural dramatically reduces external

inputs by refraining from the use of chemical fertilizers,
pesticides and pharmaceuticals.
 Definition of Terms
 Beneficial organisms – either arthropods
(insect/spider) or microorganism are useful
organisms that help to control insect pests
and generally have favorable effect to the
living things
 Beneficial Insects-are friendly insects that
has helpful to the ecosystem
 Biological Control which means method
of controlling insect pests by the use of
friendly insects, microorganisms and
beneficial animals.
 Natural Enemies of insect pests are
predators, parasites and disease-causing
agents that attack insect pests. They
parasitize, infect and prey on the pest
species thus reducing pest population.
Advantages of Beneficial Organisms

1. Safe way to control pests.

2. Inexpensive or costs nothing
to the farmer.
3. No environmental hazards
4. Self- perpetuating
5. Ecologically sustainable
Disadvantages of Beneficial Organisms

1. Easily disrupted by chemicals

2. Difficult to manipulate numbers
and species of beneficial
3. Some amount of time is
required before pests are
controlled
 Types of Natural Enemies

1. Predators often are the most

important group of biological
control organisms in corn and
rice.
 Spiders-adult and larvae of
cornborer and many
different species
Dragon fly- adult
semilooper,
cutworm and
other adult
insects

Lady beetle-
aphids,
cornborer
eggmass
Earwigs – larvae
and pupae of
insect pests

Longhorne
grasshopper –
eggs of insect
pests and nymphs
of planthoppers
Lacewing - aphids
and
leafydopterous
pest
Ants – egg/larvae
of insect pests
Insectivorous bird
2. Parasites are
insects that lives or
dependent on other
organisms as their host.
They attack the eggs,
larvae, nymphs,
pupae, or adults of the
host. They are smaller
than prey.
 Trichogramma- corn
borer eggmass,
earworm egg
Wasp-semilooper
larvae, caterpillar
Flies-parasitic in
their larval
stages but free-
living as adults
3. Disease-causing agents
 Fungi Metarhizium spp.,
Beauveria bassiana or
Hirsutella citriformis,
which infect and kill 90-
95% of a population of
brown planthopper

 Metarrhiziumgreen fungi
infect hoppers, bugs,and
beetles.
Beauveria bassiana
a white fungus
which attacks
planthoppers,
leafhoppers.
Stemborers,
leaffolders, rice
bugs and black
bugs.
 Hirsutella citriformis
is a light brownish
fungus that infects
planthoppers and
leafhoppers after
the fungus enters
the body of the host
and consumes it
inner tissues.
 Nuclear polyhedrosis
and granulosis viruses
Virus-infected caterpillars
cease feeding and the
body content liquefies
(softening). Thus, the
bodies become flaccid
(lifeless) and often hang
from the rice plant.
 Nuclear polyhedrosis
viruses are common on
armyworms and
cutworms larvae
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) -soil-dwelling
bacterium commonly used as
biological pesticides. Bt, a bacterium
that kills insects with a potent toxin

Trichoderma species which parasitize

soilborne pathogens

Mycorrhizae are fungi live inside plant

roots and generally have beneficial
effect in the plant growth.
Sun

2nd order
carnivorous
Sunlight
1st order rd
herbivorous Consumers 3 order
carnivorous
Top order
carnivorous
Carbon
Producers dioxide

oxygen

Soils
Decomposers
Humus
Microorganisms -
Bacteria, fungi, virus,
Water, Air & Nematode, etc.
Minerals

Ecological Balance
Beneficial Insects
Identification
 Assassin Bugs

Assassin bugs prey on aphids, caterpillars,

beetles, leafhoppers,and other insects.
They do not like to be handled.
 Big-eyed Bugs

These small insects with big eyes attack

spider mites, thrips, aphids
and other insect eggs.
 Damsel Bugs

Damsel bugs resemble assassin bugs.

They feed on aphids, leafhoppers,
mites and caterpillars.
 Green Lacewings

adult larva

Green or brown, the lacewing, or aphid lion,

is known to eat as many as 600 aphids.
Ground Beetles

Beetles are
large, dark, and
sometimes metallic.
They feed along the
ground on soft-bodied
insects, especially
at night.
 Lady Beetles

adult larva

Lady beetle adults and larvae

attack aphids, mites, insect
eggs and small insects.
 Parasitic Wasps

Micro- and mini-wasps can sting

and lay eggs in caterpillars, aphids
or insect eggs. The larvae consume
their prey from within.
Praying Mantids

Mantids have a good

reputation, but eat
relatively few insects
in the garden.
 Predaceous Stink Bugs

Many stink bugs are pests, but predaceous

stink bugs feed on beetles and caterpillars
both as adults and colorful nymphs.
 Predatory Mites

Predatory mites move rapidly to catch

and feed on their plant-eating counterparts.
They are often white, tan, or orange.
Soldier Beetles

They eat aphids,

caterpillars,
mites,
grasshopper
eggs,
And small
beetles.
 Syrphid Flies

adult larva

The harmless adults resemble bees,

but the small larvae consume
Many aphids.
 Minute Pirate Bug

larva

These bugs attack thrips, spider mites,

aphids and small insects.
 Tachinid Flies

Heavily bristled tachinid flies lay eggs on

caterpillars, beetle larvae, and bugs.
 Wasps & Hornets

Though often considered pests, these insects

feed heavily on caterpillars, flies and other
soft-bodied insects.
Conservation of Beneficial Organisms
1. Avoid poison usage
- no pesticide use
2. Practice appropriate cultural managements
a. use resistant varieties
b. use disease-frees seeds/planting
materials
c. practice timing of planting
d. avoid burning
e. don’t clean all weeds
3. Habitat Management
-Maintenance of alternate
host by planting of variety
of flowers that attracts
beneficial insects (e.g.
marigold, zinnia, etc.)
4. Crops diversification– planting of various crops
(agronomic or horticultural)to attract natural enemies.
Thanks, GOD Bless!