Economic evaluation of biological control

Abstract

The economicity is a mainly factor in the insecticide selection to use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. The growers generally buy the insecticide without considering aspect such as efficacy and effects on nontarget systems. This situation can promote human intoxications, ecosystems contamination and unnecessary increases in the production cost. The more appropriate evaluation methodology are those that compare the cost-benefit of each control method like suggested in this paper. The formula suggested is Cost-Benefit = [(Insecticide Price) x (Ambiental Cost)]/[(Product Performance) x (Effective Control Time) x (Loss Decrease)]. For the example chosen it was determined that the cost-benefit figures of Baculovirus anticarsia is about 15 times better than chemical insecticides often used in soybean IPM in Brazil.