Which is a biological control agent?

• A. Milky Spore
• B. Neem oil
• C. Roundup herbicide
• D. Diatomaceous earth

Answer: (A)

Biological control agents are living organisms used to reduce pest populations. Milky Spore Sachets contain spores of Bacillus popilliae, a bacterium that specifically infects Japanese beetle grubs in the soil. When these spores are in the turf, they attack and slow or suppress grub numbers over time, providing targeted, ongoing pest control without broadly harming other organisms.

Neem oil is a plant-derived pesticide; while effective, it isn’t a living organism introduced to prey on pests, so it isn’t a biological control agent in the strict sense. Roundup is a chemical herbicide that kills plants by chemical action, not by a living pest-control organism. Diatomaceous earth is a mineral-based, physical/abrasive product that damages insects on contact, not a living organism.