I have been telling about the biological control of weeds by insects, but did you know that some controls being used are fungus, to control weeds and plant diseases. One such is called Fungus rust, (Puccinia chondrillina), which is used to control skeleton weed. The rust disease destroys the seed pod of the plant, preventing it from reproducing and also stunts its growth.
Another fungus (Talaromyces flavius), controls the plant diseases of potato wilt and verticullium wilt. The fungus works to stop potato wilt and provides 75% reduction of wilt on eggplants. And lastly, a yeast (Tilleteopars), stops powdery mildew in greenhouse enviroments.
Different new biological controls are under study and some have proved promising.
ClandoSan- by-product of shellfish and crab industries that controls nematodes, by stimulating the growth of nematode's natural enemies, that in turn kill the nematodes.
Vectobac- is a biological insecticide for killing fungus gnats. It is applied to the soil.
Potato that has a built in insect repellant. This hybrid potato produces leptine, a chemical that repels the Colorado potato bettle.
Corn Vaccination- A gene from the bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis), is forced into the corn seed and passes on from seed into plant as it grows. The gene produces a toxin that kills the corn borer.
Japanese Beetle Control- the nematodes (Heterohabditis HP88), have a 90% control of beetle larvae. And the nematodes provide better control then chemical compounds.
