Post-release evaluation ofEretmocerus hayatiZolnerowich and Rose in Australia

Abstract

Bemisia tabaci biotype B is a significant pest of agriculture world-wide. It was first detected in Australia in 1994. Assessments of the potential of parasitoids already present in Australia to control this pest indicated that two species of Eretmocerus and 11 species of Encarsia were present, but they did not exert sufficient control with a combined average of 5.0+/-0.3% apparent parasitism of 4th instars. Further, only 25% of samples containing biotype B had parasitised individuals present. The surveys also identified that fewer B biotype were being parasitised compared with the Australian indigenous biotype. Overall, Er. mundus was the most abundant parasitoid prior to the introduction. Previous research indicated that Er. hayati offered the best prospects for Australia and, in October 2004, the first releases were made. Since then, levels of apparent parasitism have averaged 29.3+/-0.1% of 4th instars with only 24% of collections having no parasitism present. Eretmocerus hayati contributed 85% of the overall apparent parasitism. In addition, host plants of the whitefly with low or no parasitism prior to the release have had an order of magnitude increase in levels of parasitism. This study covers the establishment of the case to introduce Er. hayati and the post-release establishment period November 2004-March 2008.

Biological pest management by predators and parasitoids in the greenhouse vegetables in China

“…Furthermore, the success of using E. sophia is mainly dependent on the mating status of females, which is related to the availability of males (Zang et al, 2011b). In addition, E. hayati has also been proven an effective biological control agent against B. tabaci in the USA and in Australia (Goolsby et al, 2005;De Barro and Coombs, 2009). This parasitoid species was imported from the USA in 2008 by the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, with the objective of controlling the exotic B and Q whiteflies, and proved to be a good bio-control candidate (Yang and Wan, 2011).…”

Identification of host plant resistance to silverleaf whitefly in cotton: Implications for breeding

“…Artificial infestation using kale was repeated three times to increase the transfer of adults to cotton. Natural enemies of SLW such as the whitefly parasitoids (Encarsia formosa Gahan and Eretmocerus hayati Zolnerowich and Rose) (De Barro and Coombs, 2009) and other pests such as spider mites (Tetranychus urticae Koch) or cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover) in all plots were controlled by applications of pesticides as required (Table 2).…”

Development of Australian commercial producers of invertebrate biological control agents from 1971 to 2014

“…Australian commercial producers of invertebrate BCAs are already working on this strategy. For example, the parasitoid Eretmocerus hayati Zolnerowich was introduced to Australia first as a classical biological control agent for silverleaf whitefly, a pest with a strong history of insecticide resistance (De Barro and Coombs 2009). Now this parasitoid has been developed into a commercial BCA (https://bugsforbugs.com.au/product/eretmocerushayati/).…”