Control of Bemisia tabaci and Frankliniella occidentalis in cucumber by Amblyseius swirskii

Abstract

Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) are major pests in greenhouse grown cucumber crops. Recently, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was shown an effective biological control agent of both pests. Hence, perhaps both pests can be controlled simultaneously by this predator. However, with simultaneous infestation of both pests, synergistic effects, or interference could affect biological control and perhaps require changes in release rates of the predator. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate different release rates of A. swirskii to control both pests under a worst case scenario of rapid immigration into a cucumber greenhouse. Two experiments were conducted, one simulating the influx of whiteflies alone (whitefly experiment) and the other immigration of whiteflies and thrips together (whitefly plus thrips experiment). Three treatments were compared in the whitefly experiment: (1) B. tabaci alone, (2) B. tabaci ? 25 A. swirskii m -2 and (3) B. tabaci ? 75 A. swirskii m -2 . The high release rate was more effective than the low rate in controlling B. tabaci alone. The high rate was subsequently tested against B. tabaci and F. occidentalis for the whitefly and thrips experiment in which five treatments were compared: (1) B. tabaci alone, (2) F. occidentalis alone, (3) B. tabaci ? 75 A. swirskii m -2 , (4) F. occidentalis ? 75 A. swirskii m -2 and (5) B. tabaci ? F. occidentalis ? 75 A. swirskii m -2 . This rate of A. swirskii controlled whiteflies and thrips either alone or together. Therefore, 75 A. swirskii m -2 should be an adequate rate for controlling both pests either alone or simultaneously in cucumber greenhouses.

Multiple natural enemies do not improve two spotted spider mite and flower western thrips control in strawberry tunnels

“…Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Neoseiulus californicus (MacGregor) are among the species most used in horticultural and greenhouse crops, having been employed in strawberries for TSSM control (Fraulo and Liburd, 2007;Palevsky et al, 2008). Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) is a Mediterranean phytoseiid species considered as a primary predator of thrips and whiteflies; it has been recommended and used to control TSSM as well as other pests in greenhouse and strawberry crops (Elsawi and Alazzazy, 2007;Gerson and Weintraub, 2007;Alvarado, 2009;Xu and Enkegaard, 2010;Sáenz-de Cabezón et al, 2010;Calvo et al, 2011;Kutuk et al, 2011). Species of the genus Orius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) are commonly found on cultivated and wild plants in the Mediterranean Europe, and have received much attention as biocontrol agents for thrips (Tommasini et al, 2004).…”

Ecology and Role of the Rove Beetle, <i>Dalotia coriaria</i>, and Insidious Flower Bug, <i>Orius insidiosus</i>, in Greenhouse Biological Control Programs

“…Biological control entails periodic releases of natural enemies or biological control agents, such as parasitoids and predators in order to regulate or maintain insect or mite pest populations below damaging levels [4] [6] [15]. There are natural enemies commercially available for use against fungus gnats and western flower thrips including the following predatory mites: Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) (formerly = "Hypoaspis miles") (Acari: Laelapidae) [16] [17], Neoseiulus (formerly = Amblyseius) cucumeris Oudemans (Acari: Phytoseiidae) [18] [19] [20], and Amblyseius swirskii AthiasHenriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) [21] [22]. In addition, two generalist predators commercially available for use in greenhouse production systems are the rove beetle, Dalotia coriaria (Kraatz) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), and the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae).…”

Compatibility of Amblyseius swirskii with Beauveria bassiana: two potentially complimentary biocontrol agents

“…Marketed primarily for whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) control, both of which are major pests in tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and ornamentals (Malais and Ravensberg 2003), this polyphagous predator can suppress pest outbreaks on its own (Messelink et al 2006;Chow et al 2010;Messelink et al 2010;Calvo et al 2011). Combining its use with other BCAs can enhance pest control particularly when the BCAs do not compete directly but exploit different life stages of the same pest (Calvo et al 2009;Dogramaci et al 2011).…”

“…Conversely, A. swirskii can interfere with other BCAs by inter-and intraguild predation (hyperpredation) (Buitenhuis et al 2010;Messelink et al 2011). In the field, A. swirskii is primarily used preventatively to avert pest establishment and for controlling light whitefly and thrips infestations (Messelink et al 2010;Calvo et al 2011). At high pest pressure, curative control by predatory mites is often insufficient and corrective applications with chemical pesticides or biopesticides may be required (Calvo et al 2009;Medd and GreatRex 2014).…”