What are the risks and benefits of agricultural biological control?

benefits: costs, you would not spend a much money on pesticides/herbicides .


crop quality: your crops/animals would be in better condition because they are not competing with pests for food/resourse etc


Time saving : you would technically have ot spend less time in trying to help your crop/animals (as they are theoretically healthier


money for crops/animals: you may be able to get more money for your crop/animals because they are in better condition and there are ';no chemicals'; eg organic.





disadvantages:


effectiveness: biological controls are not often 100% effective at killing/supressing or whatever its supposed to be doing. so you many always have to spray/immunise etc despite having biological controls





over time the biological control agent becomes less effective due to a variety of reasons (increased resistance, change of host, etc).





Spread: the biological control may spread into other hosts (other than the pest) and cause major problems, it could also then spread from that particular field and onto neigbouring properties (who probalbly would not be very happy)





cost: it may actually cost MORE for the biological control to be tested, treated etc to the point its actually more expensive than traditional methods of pest/weed control





Other side affects: there could be other side affects which affect your crops/ animals that was not anticipated.What are the risks and benefits of agricultural biological control?
Risk is runoff into the water table. You could be drinking bug spray.


Benefits The bugs aren't, getting our soybeans. I would like the bugs to get more beans. but that's just me.


Happy Caving Carroll