Biological Control in Jamaica

Summary

Jamaica has a rich history of successful biological control of more than 25 pests of economic and quarantine importance. Approximately 14 classical, 13 natural and six augmentative biocontrol programmes were recorded, as well as two fortuitous introductions. The programmes concerned control of key pests on: (i) citrus, such as citrus blackfly, citrus red scale, cottony cushion scale, citrus root weevils, brown citrus aphid, lime swallowtail butterfly and Asian citrus psyllid; (ii) sugarcane, mainly sugarcane borers; (iii) banana, the banana weevil; (iv) cocoa, the cocoa thrips; (v) coconut, with coconut scale, two aphid species and red palm mite; (vi) sweet potato, sweet potato weevil; (vii) crucifers, with diamondback moth and cabbage looper; (viii) coffee, with coffee berry borer and coffee leaf miner; (ix) residential fruit tree crops and ornamentals, with pink hibiscus mealybug and ensign scale; (x) papaya, with papaya mealybug and citrus root weevil; and (xi) onion and scallion, with beet armyworm. Biocontrol agents used were species of parasitoids, predatory beetles and mites, nucleopolyhedroviruses, and entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes. Jamaica served as a provider of biocontrol agents for the Caribbean and Hawaii. A biocontrol facility is currently being built to develop control methods for endemic and invasive pests.