Compatibility of early natural enemy introductions in commercial pepper and tomato greenhouses with repeated pesticide applications

AbstractSuccessful integrated pest management in protected crops implies an evaluation of the compatibility of pesticides and natural enemies (NE), as control strategies that only rely on one tactic can fail when pest populations exceed NE activity or pests become resistant to pesticides. Nowadays in Almer ía (Spain), growers release NE prior to transplanting or early in the crop cycle to favor their settlement before pest arrival because this improves biocontrol efficacy, although it extends pesticide exposure periods. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the compatibility of two application s of pesticides with key NE in 2‐year trials inside tomato and sweet pepper commercial greenhouses:Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae),Orius laevigatus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) andAmblyseius swirskii (Athias ‐Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). In tomato, flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole (IOBC category 1) were compatible withN. tenuis, but chlorpyrifos ‐methyl and spinosad (IOBC categories 2–3), which effectively reducedTuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) density, compromised its predatory activity. In sweet pepper, chlorantraniliprole (IOBC category 1) was the only pesticide compatible withO. laevigatus while chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate, spirotetramat and pymetrozine were harmless (IOBC category 1) toAmblyseius swirskii, and sulfoxaflor slightly harmful (IOBC category 2) to this phytoseiid predator.
Source: Insect Science - Category: Biology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research