Articles
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF APHIDS BY THE PREDATORY MIDGE APHIDOLETES APHIDIMYZA IN THE PRESENCE OF INTRAGUILD PREDATORY BUGS AND THRIPS
Article number
915_21
Pages
171 – 177
Language
English
Abstract
In organically grown sweet peppers, aphids are the most important pest.
The wide range of natural enemies of aphids, that are commercially available, is not a guarantee for successful control but rather an indication that this problem is difficult to tackle.
Strategies for control vary among organic growers and it is still not known which natural enemy complexes give the best results.
When releasing natural enemies for aphid control, it is important to consider the possible interactions with other pest species and natural enemies present.
Within man-made natural enemy communities for multiple pest control, direct and indirect interactions occur which can enhance or disrupt biological control, such as predators eating other predators, behavioural changes, plant responses or apparent competition.
Here we investigated the effects of the generalist predatory bugs Orius laevigatus and Orius majusculus on biological control of green peach aphids, Myzus persicae, by the predatory midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza in the absence or presence of thrips.
Our results showed that intraguild predation of aphidophageous midges by generalist predatory bugs is a realistic phenomenon, but the risk of disruption of aphid control seems to be limited.
The addition of thrips and O. majusculus to predatory midges even enhanced the suppression of aphids.
We conclude that a broad system view with predator-prey complexes is required for identifying successful natural enemy complexes for aphid control.
The wide range of natural enemies of aphids, that are commercially available, is not a guarantee for successful control but rather an indication that this problem is difficult to tackle.
Strategies for control vary among organic growers and it is still not known which natural enemy complexes give the best results.
When releasing natural enemies for aphid control, it is important to consider the possible interactions with other pest species and natural enemies present.
Within man-made natural enemy communities for multiple pest control, direct and indirect interactions occur which can enhance or disrupt biological control, such as predators eating other predators, behavioural changes, plant responses or apparent competition.
Here we investigated the effects of the generalist predatory bugs Orius laevigatus and Orius majusculus on biological control of green peach aphids, Myzus persicae, by the predatory midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza in the absence or presence of thrips.
Our results showed that intraguild predation of aphidophageous midges by generalist predatory bugs is a realistic phenomenon, but the risk of disruption of aphid control seems to be limited.
The addition of thrips and O. majusculus to predatory midges even enhanced the suppression of aphids.
We conclude that a broad system view with predator-prey complexes is required for identifying successful natural enemy complexes for aphid control.
Authors
G.J. Messelink, C.M.J. Bloemhard , R. Vellekoop
Keywords
Myzus persicae, Orius laevigatus, Orius majusculus, sweet pepper, intraguild predation, hyperpredation, apparent competition, mixed diets
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