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Food supplementation to optimize inoculative release of the predatory bug M acrolophus pygmaeus in sweet pepper
Author(s) -
Brenard Nathalie,
Sluydts Vincent,
De Bruyn Luc,
Leirs Herwig,
Moerkens Rob
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12704
Subject(s) - biology , pepper , pest analysis , biological pest control , biological dispersal , integrated pest management , whitefly , population , generalist and specialist species , pest control , horticulture , agronomy , ecology , toxicology , demography , sociology , habitat
Biological control is widespread in management of greenhouse sweet pepper crops. Several species of predatory mites, bugs, and parasitoids are used against a wide range of pest species. However, biological control of particular pests like aphids, caterpillars, and the tobacco whitefly, B emisia tabaci G ennadius, remains problematic. M acrolophus pygmaeus R ambur ( H emiptera: M iridae) is a generalist predatory bug which is used on a large scale in Western European tomato greenhouses. It has already been demonstrated that M . pygmaeus is a valuable biocontrol option in sweet pepper crops, but it has yet to find its way into common practice. M acrolophus pygmaeus should be introduced at the start of the growing season and determining an optimal release strategy is a key step in this process. In tomato crops, M . pygmaeus requires supplemental food releases to reach sufficient population numbers and dispersal levels. In this study, the need for food supplementation in sweet pepper is investigated. Three strategies were tested: (1) no food supplementation, (2) local food supplementation, and (3) full field food supplementation. Both population numbers and dispersal rates of the second generation were higher under the third strategy. M acrolophus pygmaeus oviposits near food sources, therefore dispersal rates are higher when food is more spread out. Pest control was achieved in all treatments, but faster and at lower pest levels under the full field strategy.