Regulatory Frameworks for the Access and Use of Genetic Resources in Latin America.

The Nagoya Protocol is a legal framework focused on the Access and Benefit Sharing of genetic resources, including Biological Control Agents. In order to comply with the Nagoya Protocol, countries in Latin America are establishing legal frameworks for access to genetic resources. Scientists face the challenges of the bureaucratic and administrative burden to obtain the access permits to study the biodiversity present in Latin American countries, which include the evaluation of biological control agents that can be used in sustainable production programs. In order to avoid the demotivation of scientists and students to work on biological control by blocking the opportunities to get new bioproducts, it is important to increase the communication between the regulatory authorities and the scientific community, to ensure the establishment of an effective structure and mechanisms to facilitate the process and reduce the time needed to obtain the access permits. On the other hand, the establishment of regional platforms for the exchange of information and harmonization of procedures can contribute to reinforce the collaboration among Latin American countries and facilitate regional studies and biocontrol activities. In this article, the legal framework in place in different countries in Latin America will be discussed and some possible solutions and ways forward to the major challenges observed will be presented.

Current Status of Phytoseiid Mites as Biological Control Agents in Latin America and Experiences from Argentina Using Neoseiulus californicus.

Phytoseiidae is a large family of Mesostigmata mites. Members of this family are important biological control agents across the world since they are well-known natural enemies of phytophagous arthropods on cultivated and non-cultivated plants, mainly used to control pest spider mites. However, some can control thrips in greenhouses and fields. Several studies reporting on species in Latin America have been published. The most extensive studies were conducted in Brazil. Phytoseiid mites have been used in different biological control approaches, with two successful classical biological control programs: the biocontrol of the cassava green mite using Typhlodromalus aripo (Deleon) in Africa and the citrus and avocado mites by Euseius stipulatus (Athias-Henriot) in California. Efforts in using phytoseiid mites to enforce biological control of different phytophagous mites are being made in Latin America. Till now, only a few successful examples are available on this topic. This fact highlights the need to continue the investigations on the ability of other unknown species to be used in biological control through close collaboration between researchers and biocontrol companies. Various challenges remain, such as developing better rearing systems to provide a large number of predators to farmers in various crop systems, training farmers to improve their understanding of the use of predators, and chemical control aimed at conservation biological control, looking forward to increasing the use of the phytoseiid mites as biological control agents in Latin America and the Caribbean.