Florida Entomologist (2003) 86, 481-483

R.G. Van Driesche and S. Lyon (2003)
Commercial adoption of biological control-based IPM for whiteflies in poinsettia
Florida Entomologist 86 (4), 481-483
Abstract: Releases of Eretmocerus eremicus at the reduced rate of 0.5 females per plant per week, combined with three mid-season applications of the insect growth regulator kinoprene (Enstar II), successfully maintained densities of live nymphs+pupae of pest whiteflies (Bemisia argentifolii) at or below threshold (2 per leaf), barring management errors (introduction of highly infested plants). This program had a cost of $0.10-0.14 per plant, including the cost of the pesticide, the parasitoids and their shipping. This price was equal to or lower than the average cost of chemical control ($0.14 per plant) for 22 Massachusetts poinsettia growers whose pesticide application records were examined in a separate survey. This trial demonstrates that effective whitefly biological control on poinsettia can be achieved in the northeastern United States at prices competitive with current pesticide use.
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Database assignments for author(s): Roy G. Van Driesche

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
control - general
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.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Euphorbia (crop)	U.S.A. (NE)
Eretmocerus eremicus (parasitoid)	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Euphorbia (crop)	U.S.A. (NE)