Pest Control Symposium

131st AAAS Annual Meeting

Montreal, 26-31 December

"Thousands of pests affect man,plants, and animals. Each one of themhas different habits and behavior. Suchpests are found in almost every con-ceivable environment. They are moreadaptable in resisting man's efforts tocontrol them than we tend to thinkthey are." This recent statement byE. F. Knipling (Entomology ResearchService, U.S. Department of Agricul-ture, Beltsville, Maryland) sums up theenormity of the pest control problemconfronting scientists today. One meth-od which has been effectively employedto combat insect populations is the useof insecticides or pesticides, such aschlorinated hydrocarbons (lindane,aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, and toxaphene)and organic phosphorous compounds.However, with this remedy side effectshave developed-the insecticides havebeen harmful to useful animals andhave contaminated water and food sup-plies. Some pests have even devel-oped an immunity to the pesticidesdesigned to destroy them.

Hazards to man and animals withthe use of such compounds werepointed up by Rachel Carson in hercontroversial book, Silent Spring, in1962. This publication gave new ur-gency to a pesticide study by a specialpanel of the President's Science Ad-visory Committee. After subsequentfederal hearings and studies, it was de-cided that tighter control of and wiseruse of pesticides would have to beinstituted and that emphasis should bedirected toward research on other waysof combating pests-resistant cropvarieties, parasites, sterilization of maleinsects by radiation, sex lures, andphysical attractants.

Because the pest control problemhas been a "hot" topic for the pastfew years and because so many re-search advances have been accom-

plished, a special interdisciplin;posium, "Pest Control by CBiological, Genetic, andMeans," is planned for thAAAS Annual Meeting, 26-cember. This is really the firsmeeting will cover the broaof all types of pests and theways to combat them. The puthe symposium, which is opeipublic, is to explain the exactresearch and development inof pest control. All participaiinvited to speak because oftions which they have maderespective fields. The six-sessiposium will take place on th(27, 29, and 30 December).While the use of chemical r

may cause detrimental sidethere is no doubt that they arand necessary part of our

The screwworm fly (Callitrogavorax), a destructive parasite ofin the southern areas of the Unithas been eradicated by releasnumbers of male flies sterilized bradiation. [Drawing courtesy ofAmerican]

ary sym- life. Research, therefore, must continue'hemical, on developing safer types of chemicalsPhysical and safer methods of using them. Pesti-

ie 131st cides and chemicals (used as attract--31 De- ants and sterility agents) will be dis-A time a cussed during the first two sessions ofId range this symposium. Robert Glen (As-various sistant Deputy Minister, Research, De-

rpose of partment of Agriculture, Ottawa, Can-n to the ada) will open the sessions with a talkstatus of on "The need for interdisciplinary re-the field search on pest control problems."nts were Other speakers and their topics willcontribu- be R. L. Metcalf (University of Cali-in their fornia, Riverside), "Requirements for

ion sym- insecticides of the future"; W. C. Shawree days (U.S. Department of Agriculture),

"Requirements for herbicides of thepesticides future"; W. W. Dykstra (U.S. Depart-

effects, ment of Interior), "The role of chemi-e a vital cals for the control of vertebratemodern pests"; Morton Beroza (U.S. Depart-

ment of Agriculture), "The future roleof natural and synthetic attractants forpest control"; G. L. McNew (BoyceThompson Institute for Plant Re-search), "The role of chemicals forcontrolling plant diseases"; J. M. Good(U.S. Department of Agriculture),"The role of chemicals of the future

- for controlling plant nematodes"; andD. E. Howell (Oklahoma State Uni-versity), "Control of animal parasitesby chemical means."

Recognition of the dangers associ-ated with the use of pesticides led tomore intensive research on other meansof controlling pests. One of the most

promising approaches has been the use

of natural control agents. Biologicalcontrol through the use of parasites,

homoini- predators, and insect diseases will belivestock reported on during the third and

Led States, fourth sessions on 29 December. A-ing largeyionizingg special address, "Problems associatedScientific with the development and use of pest

control measures," will be presented bySCIENCE, VOL. 146

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Spraying of insecticides is one of the most effective means of pest control; however, it entails several side effects detrimental toman and animals.

N. C. Brady (U.S. Department of Ag-riculture). Other speakers will beB. M. Bierne (Canada Department ofAgriculture, Belleville, Canada),"Present and future role of parasitesand predators for insect control";A. M. Heimpel (U.S. Department ofAgriculture), "Present and future roleof microbial agents for control ofplant and animal pests"; L. A. Andres(U.S. Department of Agriculture,Rome, Italy), "The role of biologicalagents for the control of weeds"; G. C.Papavisas (U.S. Department of Agri-culture), "Biological methods for thecontrol of plant diseases and nema-todes"; L. D. Christenson (U.S. De-partment of Agriculture), "Applicationof the sterility principle for the con-trol of insects"; D. K. Wetherbee (Un-iversity of Massachusetts) and D. S.Balser (U.S. Department of Interior,Denver), "Vertebrate pest control bybiological means", and J. T. Lucker(U.S. Department of Agriculture), "Bi-ological control of animal parasites."

Genetic and physical means havealso been employed in combating pests.

30 OCTOBER 1964

Geneticists continue to develop anduse crop varieties that are resistant toattack by insects, plant diseases, andother pests. One example is the devel-opment of a variety of corn whichpossesses resistance to the Europeancorn borer. One of the physical meth-ods employed to fight insects is thelight trap; at the present time large-scale experiments are being carried onto determine the effect on tobaccohornworms of the use of such lighttraps. These various types of controlmeasures will be reported on at thefinal sessions (30 December) of thissymposium. Speakers will be R. M.Caldwell (Purdue University), 'Ad-vances in the control of plant diseasesthrough plant breeding": A. E. Kehr(U.S. Department of Agriculture),"Current status and opportunities forthe control of nematodes by plantbreeding", R. H. Painter (Kansas StateUniversity), "Plant resistance as ameans of controlling insects and re-ducing their daniage": N. D. Bayley(U.S. Department of Agriculture),"The future of animal breeding for re-

sistance to diseases and pests", P. C.Callahan (U.S. Department of Agri-culture, Tifton, Georgia), "Electromag-netic communications in insects;T. E. Hienton (U.S. Department ofAgriculture) and J. S. Seubert (U.S.Department of Interior, Laurel, Mary-land), "Electromagnetic energy andsound for use in control of certainpests"'; F. R. Lawson (U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture. Oxford, NorthCarolina) and J. M. Stanley (U.S.Department of Agriculture, Blacks-burg, Virginia), "Experiments on thecontrol of insect populations withlight traps": and W. M. Corleton (U.S.Department of Agriculture), "Role ofagricultural engineers in agriculturalpest control."

This program was arranged by E. F.Knipling, chairman of Section 0 (Ag-riculture). In addition to Section 0,other sponsors of this symposium in-clude Sections E (Geology and Ge-ography), F (Zoological Sciences),iand G (Botanical Sciences), and morethan 20 societies affiliated with theAAAS.

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Pest Control Symposium: 131st AAAS Annual Meeting Montreal, 26-31 December

DOI: 10.1126/science.146.3644.672 (3644), 672-673.146Science 

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