BioControl (2016) 61, 47-56

Marta F. Oveja, Jordi Riudavets, Judit Arnó and Rosa Gabarra (2016)
Does a supplemental food improve the effectiveness of predatory bugs on cucumber?
BioControl 61 (1), 47-56
Abstract: The objectives of our research were to determine the effect of supplementary food on the dispersion of the predatory bugs Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae), Orius laevigatus and O. majusculus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) when released on a pest-infested or non-infested cucumber crop and to evaluate the effectiveness of O. majusculus, released together with the addition of supplemental food, on thrips control. The addition of dry Artemia sp. cysts as supplemental food to the plant where predators were released did not influence their dispersion from the release plant. Predators dispersed to the infested plants despite the provision of supplemental food on the release patch. In addition, in a greenhouse experiment, predator populations increased quicker when supplemental food was provided, resulting in a better thrips control. Altogether, our results suggest that the addition of supplemental food in the patch where predators are released may be beneficial for pest control in greenhouse cucumber crops.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Judit Arnó, Jordi Riudavets, Rosa Gabarra

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Orius laevigatus (predator)			Spain (continental)
Orius majusculus (predator)			Spain (continental)
Macrolophus pygmaeus (predator)			Spain (continental)