2 Aspects of Total Quality Control for the

Production of Natural Enemies

N.C. Leppla

Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Natural Area Drive,

PO Box 110630, Gainesville, FL 32611-0603, USA

Introduction: Why Practise Quality

Control in the Production and Use of

Natural Enemies?

Quality control is practised in the production
of natural enemies, at least intuitively, at
some level as a measure of the success or
failure of the production system. Adequate
yields indicate that rearing operations have
been performed efficiently. In a small, hands-
on organization, there can be a sense about
whether each step in the rearing process has
been accomplished adequately. However,
what happens when yields decline and the
cause is not evident? How are yields main-
tained while decreasing inputs and thereby

improving efficiency? How are complaints

resolved about the postproduction perfor-

mance of natural enemies? How are deci-

sions made to correct apparent problems or

improve the production system?

Information is required to determine the

status of each rearing operation in the

system and the quality of the final insect

product (Leppla and Ashley, 1989). The cost

of obtaining this information should be

recovered in reduced incidence of problems

and increased efficiencies. It is not an added

expense but an integral function in natural-

enemy production (Leppla and King, 1996).

Typically, data are derived from a rep-

resentative sample of rearing units, i.e.

© CAB International 2003. Quality Control and Production of Biological Control Agents:
Theory and Testing Procedures (ed. J.C. van Lenteren) 19

Abstract

In this chapter the following questions are addressed: (i) what happens when yields of natural enemies
decline and the cause is not evident? (ii) how are yields maintained while decreasing inputs and thereby
improving efficiency? (iii) how are complaints resolved about the postproduction performance of natural
enemies? and (iv) how are decisions made to correct apparent problems or improve the production
system? A system of total quality control (TQC) is described, because it is an uncomplicated structure for
organizing and addressing the major steps in producing, using and improving natural enemies. TQC
can assist in carefully evaluating trade-offs in the system and judiciously investing resources, critical
functions for commercial biological control. ‘Of all concepts in the quality function, none is so far-
reaching or vital as “fitness for use”’ (Juranet al.,1974). To be marketable, products and services must
meet the expectations of users in terms of price, reliability and performance. In this sense, ‘fitness for use’
is the definition of quality for producers of natural enemies and their customers.