Biocontrol and "Biocontrole" (Bioprotection): a need of clarification

Biocontrol (biological control) and "biocontrole" (which can be translated into English as "Bioprotection") are concepts of crop protection that have common points but also have their specificities. The former has been known since the 1880s, while the latter appeared in the French landscape in the 2010s. In recent years, there has been regular confusion in the terms and interpretations of these concepts, which are not of the same nature: biocontrol is defined by strategies and "biocontrole" by products. This paper therefore aims to respond to a need for clarification: it contributes to distinguishing the perimeters and contents of these concepts, to pointing out certain abusive comparisons and to proposing semantic clarifications. It reviews the English and French terms related to biocontrol and "biocontrole" (Bioprotection) at the European level. Finally, the paper discusses the role and relevance of the two concepts in agroecological crop protection (ACP). Conservation biocontrol has a central place in ACP, as it is based on a systemic and preventive approach to crop pest risks. While some bioproducts are promising for the prevention of pest risks, many of them are part of a curative approach, similar to the use of synthetic chemical pesticides, with the same types of commercial spin-offs for the agro-industry.