Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Economic Entomology Unit, Plant Protection Department, Desert Research Center
2
Animal Pest Unit, Plant Protection Department, Desert Research Center
Abstract
Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Tetranychus urticae Koch. (Acari: Tetranychidae) are major pests in tomato greenhouses. The combination and different release regimes of 2 predators; Chrysoperla carnea (Steph.), and Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias- Henriot in commercial tomato greenhouses during the winter plantation of the two seasons, 2018 and 2019. five release rates were evaluated; 1 individuals of C. carnea + 2 individuals of P. persimilis /m2 biological control greenhouse 1 (1C / 2P), 2 individuals of C. carnea + 4 individuals of P. persimilis /m2 (2C/4P) , 4 individuals of C. carnea + 4 individuals of P. persimilis /m2 ( 4C/8P),1 Insect predator (C. carnea) only and 1 mite predator (P. persimilis). The greatest suppression of the pest population was recorded in 4C/8P (the combination of the 2 predators).
The population of B. tabaci reached 3.3, 1, 1, 4.5 and 0.5 individuals/ plant in 2018 and 5, 2, 1, 3.5 and 5 individuals/ plant in 2019 in 1C/2P, 2C/4P, 4C/8P, C. carnea and P. persimilis, respectively, in the 11th week.
Correspondent population of T. urticae reached 2.2, 2, 1, 2.4 and 4 individuals/ plant in 2018 and 1, 2, 0.4, 4,6 and 4 individuals/ plant in 2019. There was a significant difference between 1C/2P, 2C/4P, 4C/8P, C. carnea and P. persimilis for the whitefly and mite populations.
Generally, the pest populations in the 4C/8P decreased treatments compared with the P. persimilis in the two seasons. Use of the combination of the 2 predators (4C/8P) is recommended as a pest management practice at the plantation of tomato in the greenhouses.
Keywords
)
View on SCiNiTO