EN58CH07-Williams ARI 24 November 2012 18:35 Biological Pest Control in Mexico Trevor Williams,1,∗ Hugo C. Arredondo-Bernal,2 and Luis A. Rodrıguez-del-Bosque´ 3 1Instituto de Ecologıa´ AC, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico; email:
[email protected] 2Centro Nacional de Referencia en Control Biologico,´ Tecoman,´ Colima 28120, Mexico 3Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrıcolas´ y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Campo Experimental Rıo´ Bravo, Rıo´ Bravo, Tamaulipas 89601, Mexico Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2013. 58:119–40 Keywords First published online as a Review in Advance on native and exotic insect pests, Mesoamerican biological corridor, September 4, 2012 megadiversity, historical successes, current programs, future prospects The Annual Review of Entomology is online at ento.annualreviews.org Abstract This article’s doi: Mexico is a megadiverse country that forms part of the Mesoamerican 10.1146/annurev-ento-120811-153552 biological corridor that connects North and South America. Mexico’s bio- Copyright c 2013 by Annual Reviews. geographical situation places it at risk from invasive exotic insect pests that by 189.190.77.142 on 01/14/13. For personal use only. All rights reserved enter from the United States, Central America, or the Caribbean. In this ∗ Corresponding author review we analyze the factors that contributed to some highly successful past programs involving classical biological control and/or the sterile insect technique (SIT). The present situation is then examined with reference to Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2013.58:119-140. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org biological control, including SIT programs, targeted at seven major pests, with varying degrees of success. Finally, we analyze the current threats fac- ing Mexico’s agriculture industry from invasive pests that have recently en- tered the country or are about to do so.