Biological Integrated Protection

Biological Integrated Protection helps to keep crops free from pests by giving priority to biological control. When those biological means are not able to control pests or when the cost becomes prohibitive, the chemical products which do not harm beneficial insects, respecting the auxiliaries, natural or introduced, are applied. Those products are said to be “compatible”. The BIP (or PBI, in French) is characterized by keeping an equilibrium between beneficial insects and pests in protected crops.

The beneficial insects can be insects, mites, nematodes, entomopathogenic fungi, bacteria. They have two modes of action: they can predate or parasite on or more pests. Parasitism can occur inside or on an individual of another species. The use of beneficial insects limits the proliferation of a pest and regulates the population in a natural and constant manner. (see file on biological control).