Control of <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> (Gennadius) on Tomato in Greenhouses by a Combination of <i>Nesidiocoris tenuis</i> (Reuter) and Banker Plants

Abstract

Control of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on Tomato in Greenhouses by a Combination of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) and Banker Plants

Augmenting Nesidiocoris tenuis (Nesidiocoris) with a Factitious Diet of Artemia Cysts to Control Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on Tomato Plants under Greenhouse Conditions

“…The use of zoophytophagous predators as natural enemies to manage greenhouse pests has been gaining momentum and success around Europe and the Mediterranean basin [ 2 ]. In Japan, several studies have been reported on the use of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter, 1895), a classical example of zoophytophagous predator, to control greenhouse pests such as whiteflies and aphids [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. However, N. tenuis know-how in the management of greenhouse pests has been much of a deliberation.…”

The Jekyll and Hyde case of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) in the management of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on tomato plants under greenhouse conditions

“…Nesidiocoris tenuis is both a bene cial natural enemy and a pest too, a foe and a friend, or as annotated by Ferguson et al (2020), a Jekyll and Hyde. In Japan, N. tenuis has been effectively integrated into the management of several greenhouse pests such as white ies and thrips on tomato plants (Nakano et al 2016;Yano et al 2020). While feeding damage on tomato plants is still unknown, NARO (2019) recommends that the initial number of N. tenuis to be released at the start of tomato cultivation at a rate of one N. tenuis individual per two tomato plants.…”

“…Hypothetically, this is workable and can be an economically and environmentally viable solution for pest control. Nakano et al (2016) in their three-year study showed that N. tenuis integrated with banker plants (Verbena × hybrida cv. Tapian) successfully colonized the tomato, however, the impact of N. tenuis on the population densities of B. tabaci could only be realized at the end of the cultivation period.…”

“…Expounding on Nakano et al (2016) and Uehara et al (2019) studies, we tested under greenhouse conditions the impact of integrating N. tenuis, banker plants, violet-lights and selective pesticides on the population densities of B. tabaci. Results showed that population densities of different growth stages of B. tabaci were no different to that of the chemical control treatment.…”

“…In North America, the native species, Dicyphus hesperus Knight, is commercially available and is used in temperate areas of Canada, Northern USA, and recently in Mexico to control several pests of tomato cultivated in greenhouses (Shipp and Wang, 2006;Calvo et al 2016;Perez et al 2020). In Asia, extensive studies have been in progress in the utilization of N. tenuis to control greenhouse pests such as white ies and aphids (Nakaishi et al 2011;Nakano et al 2016;Uehara et al 2019;Yano et al 2020;Owashi et al 2019;Park and Lee, 2021).…”