The activity, organized by researchers from the INIA Quilamapu Biological Control Technology Center, will be held in digital format between August 30 and September 1, in response to the need to popularize the advances achieved in this scientific discipline that is increasingly attracting more followers.
For three days, the topics of biological control of pests and diseases will once again capture the attention of national agriculture, when the 5th Chilean Symposium on Biological Control takes place between August 30 and September 1.
Established as the main scientific showcase of the specialty in Chile, this meeting that brings together researchers, advisors, students, farmers, companies and those interested in the development of sustainable agriculture, is organized every three years, and for the first time it will be held virtually, which will allow the participation of researchers from other countries on the continent.
In this regard, the general coordinator of the symposium, researcher and entomologist from INIA Quilamapu, Luis Devotto, indicated that during the three days (they will be held via zoom) 100 selected works from 10 countries will be presented, which will show the advances achieved in biological control of pests, diseases and weeds, which measures the growth and development that the specialty has had in different countries. The specialist detailed that the works come from Argentina (40), Brazil (3), Chile (30), Colombia (1), Ecuador (3), Mexico (5), Peru (13), Spain (3), Paraguay (1) and Guatemala (1), which represents an increase in international presence compared to previous editions.
The symposium also includes the presentation of nine keynote lectures with prominent speakers from Chile, Spain, the United States and Switzerland, each of which will address current issues in world agriculture, as well as a summary of the evolution of Biological Control in Chile over the past 30 years.
Emphasis on Family Farming
The 5th Chilean Symposium on Biological Control will have as its motto "bringing science closer to family farming", given the growing interest among small producers in using natural methods to control pests and diseases in their orchards and crops, instead of chemical products.
Regarding the areas to be addressed, the general coordinator Luis Devotto said that these correspond to the use of fungi, viruses, nematodes, insects, arachnids, botanical extracts and bacteria for the control of pests, diseases and weeds in agriculture.
Regarding the current situation or use of biological control in national agriculture, Devotto explained that “it is better than a decade ago,” but that “compared to other South American countries such as Peru, Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil, we are far behind in terms of the number of hectares protected by biological controllers, and also in terms of the number of companies in the sector.” In this regard, he pointed out that this lag is what is expected to be reversed by holding these types of events.
Those interested in participating in the event can register for free at
