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NEW APPROACHES IN BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF PHYTOPHAGOUS MITES
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Abstract:
Biological control is the use of living organisms to suppress pest populations, making them less damaging than they would otherwise be.
Natural enemies play an important role in limiting the densities of potential pests. This has been demonstrated repeatedly when pesticides have devastated the natural enemies of potential pests. Insects which were previously of little economic importance often become damaging pests when released from the control of their natural enemies.
Biological control of Tetranychus urticae Koch by phytoseiid mites is now widely used by the greenhouse industry in Europe, some parts of Asia and Africa, Australia and North America. The most commonly used species are: Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias–Henriot ,P.macropilis (Banks) ,Neoseiulus californicus (McG.) , N. fallacies (McG.) , N. longispinosus (Evans) and Galendromus occidentalis Nesbitt . They are often released repeatedly in biological control, but also inoculatively in which predators and spider mites were introduced together early in the season.
There are three primary methods of using biological control in the field: 1) conservation of existing natural enemies, 2) introducing new natural enemies and establishing a permanent population (called "classical biological control"), and 3) mass rearing and periodic release, either on a seasonal basis or inundatively.
The impact of pesticides on natural enemies can be reduced by careful timing and placement of applications to minimize contact between the beneficial organism and the pesticide. Less persistent pesticides reduce contact, especially if used with knowledge of the biology of the natural enemy to avoid susceptible life stages.
The successful trials which carried out in Egypt by Heikal & Ibrahim, 2001 & 2002 for mass rearing the predatory mite, P. macropilis encouraged to increase its application as a bio-control agent on strawberry plantations. Heikal et al. 2007 carried out an attempt to expand the application of producing and releasing the predatory mite, P. macropilis on a large scale in a commercial strawberry farm.
More recently, success has been achieved in developing pesticide resistant strain of phytoseiid predators for use in intensive managed agroecosystems. This may stabilize the mite fauna in certain ecosystem.
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| Publication year |
2011
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| Pages |
21-63
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| Organization Name |
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| External authors (outside ARC) |
مصطفى حلمي موافي
كلية الزراعة – جامعة الأزهر
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| Publication Type |
Researsh & Applied Activities
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