health. Based on a low cost (local) production, Trichoderma should be made widely available to farmers and could become a mainstay for disease and nutrition management of rice. Making Trichoderma spp. and other BCA available for rice blast management in ASEAN could also include the extension of existing registrations for active agents to new crops. Finally, new products based on B. subtilis should be also tested for their potential to control rice blast. Biocontrol of fungal diseases using antagonistic fungi like Trichoderma spp. or microbials like B. subtilis could become important in the area of food safety in the future. Aflatoxin is a highly toxic compound of the fungus Aspergillus flavus that grows on a variety of food commodities, including rice. Aflatoxin has been linked to liver cancer worldwide, but hepatocellular cancer prevalence in developing countries is 16-32 times higher than in developed countries (71). Pre-harvest interventions in the field have been highly effective by using biocontrol with antagonistic fungi to reduce infestation of crops with toxigenic Aspergillus flavus (72). Thus, with appropriate governmental support and private sector cooperation, biocontrol may become an important component of Aflatoxin reduction strategies. Vegetables are widely grown, especially by smallholder farmers in the region, both for family food consumption and as fast-growing cash crops. Three major pests include diamondback moth (DBM: Plutella xylostella), flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.), and fungal diseases caused by Fusarium spp. Diamondback moth (DBM) was stated as a major pest in cabbages and other vegetables by almost all AMS, inflicting high percentages of damage, and causing complete crop loss in certain areas. It appears that season and climate affects severity of attack: Vietnam finds DBM to be more of a problem in the cooler north of the country while Indonesia observed more damage in the dry season. Biocontrol using macro-organisms appeared to be a highly recommended strategy by Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, including the use of parasitoids like Cotesia plutellae and Diadegma semiclausum. Application of Bt was recommended by all AMS as a main component or supplement to other control approaches. Vietnam also mentioned the usefulness of various botanicals against DBM. Crop rotation is generally regarded as effective, but only strongly by two AMS, whereas pesticides were recommended (on an action threshold basis) by six AMS. Specific government strategies and programmes to reduce synthetic pesticides have commenced in some AMS. For instance, Brunei Darussalam is currently considering how its GAP scheme can be used as a suitable platform for biocontrol products. Indonesia (Ministerial Decree) and the Philippines (Organic Act) cited changes in legislation as a potential path to promote more environmentally friendly inputs in pest management. Singapore highlighted training courses for pesticide operators as an entry point for education on biocontrol products. 33 3.2 Vegetables 3.2.1 Member States’ experience, scientific evidence, market information (ABC database), and results from field trials
Implementing Biological Control Agents in the ASEAN Region
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