ADDITIONAL FOOD INDUCED NONLINEAR INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITIVE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PESTS AND ITS OUTCOME ON THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL PROGRAMS

Abstract

This article proposes and analyses the dynamics of controlling the economically damaging pest by introducing another non-economically damaging pest in the field and providing the latter with additional food. The dynamic behaviour of the proposed system is investigated from the point of view of stability and bifurcation using the theory of dynamical systems. The main goal of the present work is to examine the role of additional food in supporting biological control and the quality/quantity of additional food that needs to be supplied to achieve faster biological control. The results can assist the eco-managers in choosing appropriate competitive species and the supplementary food that needs to be provided to achieve successful biological control.