This volume has been developed from the keynote addresses delivered at the third IOBC International Symposium (co-organized with CILBA) that was held in Montpellier in October 2002, to address developments in genetics and evolutionary biology, and their relevance to biological control. The authors identify issues for each of the major approaches in applied biological control. These include: the use of molecular genetics to trace the origin of target pests in classical biological control; the potential of mass-reared transgenic agents in augmentative biological control; and compatibility of transgenic crops and natural enemies in conservational biological control.
Genetic structure of natural plant and pathogen populations; measuring genetic variation in natural enemies used for biological control - why and how?; genetic markers in rust fungi and their application to weed biocontrol; tracing the origin of pests and natural enemies - genetic statistical approaches; interactions between natural enemies and transgenic insecticidal crops; the GMO guidelines project - development of international scientific environmental biosafety testing guidelines for transgenic plants. (Part contents.)