Since the plots presented similar conditions in relation to cultural management, cultivar, plant age, and insect population, the results indicated that the entomopathogenic fungus reduces the pest population in the plots under biological control.
It is important to investigate various forms of intercropping, because depending on how it is made can have an additive effect in reducing the insect pest population.
Varieties including two different Bt genes are reducing the likelihood that pest resistance will develop.
Farm-scale hedgerow restoration can provide pest control benefits up to 100 or 200 m into fields and multiple hedgerows around fields could enhance pest control throughout entire fields, reducing the need for chemical pest control.
As with modeled MS-based resistance management, refugia therefore act as a source of susceptible alleles which introgress (via mating) into the pest population, reducing the frequency of Bt-resistant homozygotes.
For example, Fagan et al. (2002) theoretically examined the capacity of specialist and generalist natural enemies in reducing the spread of a pest population showing different levels of Allee effect.
They are more resistant to the vagaries of climate change, and to diseases and pests, reducing the need for agrochemicals.
Data published by Brenner's group in the October 2003 EHP showed that reducing the breeding habitats for pests and using agents like boric acid that are nontoxic to humans effectively reduced cockroach infestation in an inner-city environment.
They generally require less fertilizer, need less extra water, and are less prone to pests, reducing the need for pesticides.
An important reason for the decline in OP insecticide application to corn, cotton and potatoes was the adoption of crops genetically modified to produce Bt toxin, which repels targeted insect pests, thus reducing the need for external insecticides.
