Molecular Entomology 2024, Vol.15, No.1, 23-31 http://emtoscipublisher.com/index.php/me 27 stages, indicating the life cycle of the pest. The image of pupa C and the hatching of adults from the pupa demonstrate the developmental process of the pest. These pests can be monitored through sex pheromone traps, and mechanical control and biological control are also effective management methods. Figure 2 Most common biological agents used to control sugarcane pests (Photo credit: Parra et al., 2022) Image caption: A: Cotesia flavipes parasitizing a caterpillar of Diatraea saccharalis; B. Trichogramma galloi on eggs of D. saccharalis, where b1 is a normal oviposition of the sugarcane borer and b2, one parasitized by the microhymenopteran; C: Nymph of Mahanarva fimbriolata infected by the green muscardine fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, also showing healthy adults of M. posticata(c1) andM. fimbriolata(Adopted from Parra et al., 2022) 3.2 Augmentative biological control successes Augmentative biological control involves the periodic release of large numbers of natural enemies to suppress pest populations. This method has shown promising results in sugarcane fields. Large-scale field experiments conducted between 2015 and 2019 demonstrated the effectiveness of inundative releases of Trichogramma spp. against lepidopteran borers, resulting in significantly lower pest incidence and comparable yields to chemical control methods (Maneerat et al., 2017). Additionally, the use of Trichogramma chilonis and Tetrastichus howardi in Tamil Nadu, India, has successfully managed internode borers and other borer pests, contributing to yield improvement (Behera and Mishra, 2020). 3.3 Conservation biological control impact Conservation biological control focuses on preserving and enhancing the natural enemy populations already present in the ecosystem. This approach has been integrated into pest management strategies in various regions. In China, integrated pest management (IPM) programs emphasize the protection and utilization of natural enemies, alongside other control methods, to maintain pest populations below economic thresholds (Roy et al., 2019). Furthermore, the use of entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium anisopliae, has been effective in controlling pests like Mahanarva fimbriolata in sugarcane fields, highlighting the potential of conservation biological control in sustainable pest management (Huang et al., 2018). Biological control methods have made significant strides in managing sugarcane pests, offering sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides. The success of classical, augmentative, and
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