Thrips and whiteflies are two major pest species in greenhouse cucumber. Control is mainly based on augmentative releases of generalist predatory mites. However many insecticides are still used to lower pest pressure during short cropping cycles in summer and during switches to new cropping cycles. Recent research has shown that biological control of thrips, whiteflies and spider mites is strongly improved when multiple pest species are present. Food diversity is enhancing predator development and, as a result of this, improving pest control. Pest diversity was in recent experiments furthermore showing to induce resistance mechanisms in the plant. More research is needed to further study the role of induced plant resistance in pest control and to develop practical methods based on these mechanisms which can be applied by growers.
Research objectives:
Enhancing control of thrips and whiteflies in greenhouse cucumber by combining biological control with methods that induce plant resistance.
Results and products:
* methods for inducing plant resistance against thrips and whiteflies by non-pest herbivores
* knowledge about the impact of induced resistance on biological control
* additional non-prey food for complementing the nutritional value of pest species
* strategy for enhancing control of thrips and whiteflies in greenhouse cucumber by combining plant-mediated and predator-mediated mechanisms |
