Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-gq7q9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-19T04:43:37.182Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF FUNGUS GNATS, BRADYSIA SPP. (DIPTERA: SCIARIDAE), AND WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS, FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALS (PERGANDE) (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE), IN GREENHOUSES USING A SOIL-DWELLING PREDATORY MITE, GEOLAELAPS SP. NR. ACULEIFER (CANESTRINI) (ACARI: LAELAPIDAE)1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

David R. Gillespie  and
Donald M.J. Quiring
David R. Gillespie
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada Research Station, PO Box 1000, Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada V0M 1A0
Donald M.J. Quiring
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada Research Station, PO Box 1000, Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada V0M 1A0
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A soil-dwelling predatory mite, Geolaelaps sp. nr. aculeifer (Canestrini), introduced inundatively at a rate of 6000 mites per plant to the sawdust substrate of hydroponically grown, greenhouse cucumbers significantly reduced numbers of fungus gnat, Bradysia spp., larvae and adults over a 10-week period. Inundative introductions of 1600 mites per plant reduced emergence of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), adults to about 30% of that in the controls over a 40-day trial. An inoculative introduction of 125 mites per plant to cucumber plants in selected rows in a commercial greenhouse reduced peak fungus gnat numbers to about 20% of those in untreated rows. These results suggest that a single inoculative introduction of Geolaelaps sp. nr. aculeifer, early in the crop cycle, would maintain control of fungus gnat populations in greenhouse cucumber crops at an acceptable level. This predator would also contribute to biological control of western flower thrips by reducing emergence of adults.

Résumé

Un acarien prédateur habitant le sol, Geolaelaps sp. nr. aculeifer (Canestrini), introduit en inondation à un taux de 6000 acariens par plant à la sous-couche de bran de scie des concombres des serres cultivés hydroponiquement, a réduit significativement le nombre de larves et d’adultes de sciarides, Bradysia spp., pendant une période de 10 semaines. Les inondations introduites à un taux de 1600 acariens par plant ont réduit l’éclosion d’adultes des thrips des petits fruits, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), à proche de 30% de celle constatée pour les plants témoins pendant une période d’essai de 40 jours. Une introduction par inoculation de 125 acariens par plant aux plants de concombres de rangées sélectionnées dans une serre commerciale a réduit les nombres de l’apogée des sciarides à approximativement 20% de ceux aux rangées non-traitées. Ces résultats suggèrent qu’une introduction unique par inoculation de Geolaelaps sp. nr. aculeifer tôt dans le cycle de la récolte pourrait contrôler à un niveau acceptable les populations de sciarides dans les récoltes des concombres des serres. Ce pillard pourrait également contribuer au contrôle des thrips des petits fruits par la réduction de l’éclosion des adultes.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 122 , Issue 5 , October 1990 , pp. 975 - 983
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon. 1988. Nursery, greenhouse vegetable and ornamental 1988/89 production guide for commercial growers. B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Coast Agri-Crop Products Division, Chilliwack, B.C.144 pp.Google Scholar
Barker, P.S. 1968. The response of a predator, Hypoaspis aculeifer (Canestrini) (Acarina: Laelapidae), to two species of prey. Can. J. Zool. 47: 343–345.Google Scholar
Broadbent, A.B., Allen, J.W.R., and Foottit, R.G.. 1987. The association of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with greenhouse crops and the tomato spotted wilt virus in Ontario. Can. Ent. 119: 501–503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dennis, D.J. 1978. Observations of fungus gnat damage to glasshouse curcubits. N.Z.J. Exp. Agric. 6: 83–84.Google Scholar
Gillespie, D.R. 1989. Biological control of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on greenhouse cucumber by Amblyseius cucumeris. Entomophaga 34: 185–192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hamlen, R.A., and Mead, F.W.. 1979. Fungus gnat larval control in greenhouse plant production. J. econ. Ent. 72: 269–271.Google Scholar
Hansen, L.S. 1988. Control of Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on glasshouse cucumber using large introductions of predatory mites Amblyseius barkeri (Acarina: Phytoseiidae). Entomophag. 33: 33–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hudson, K.E. 1972. Nematodes as biological control agents: their possible application in controlling insect pests of mushroom crops. In Edwards, R.L. (Ed.), Mushroom Science VIII. Proceedings of the Eighth International Congress on Mushroom Science. The Mushroom Growers' Association, London.Google Scholar
Ignatowicz, S. 1974. Observations on the biology and development of Hypoaspis aculeifer Canestrini, 1985 (Acarina: Gamasides). Zoologica Polonia. 24: 41–59.Google Scholar
Kevan, D.K.McE., and Sharma, G.D.. 1964. Observations on the biology of Hypoaspis aculeifer (Canestrini, 1984), apparently new to North America (Acarina: Mesostigmata: Laelaptidae). Acarologi. 6: 647–658.Google Scholar
Lenteren, J.C. van, and Woets, J.. 1988. Biological and integrated pest control in greenhouses. A. Rev. Ent. 33: 239–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lindquist, R.K. 1981. Evaluation of insecticides for fungus gnat control in composted hardwood bark media. Ohio Florists' Assoc. Bull. 624: 7–9.Google Scholar
Mandel, W.P., and van de Vrie, M.. 1988. De californische trips, Frankliniella occidentalis, een nieuwe shcadielijke trips soort in de tuinbouw onder glas in Nederland. Ent. Ber. Amst. 48: 140–144.Google Scholar
Osborne, L.S., Boucias, D.G., and Lindquist, R.K.. 1985. Activity of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis on Bradysia coprophila (Diptera: Sciaridae). J. econ. Ent. 78: 922–925.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramakers, P.M.J. 1983. Mass production and introduction of Amblyseius mckenziei and A. cucumeris. Bull. S.R.O.P./W.P.R.S. 1983, VI/3, 203–206.Google Scholar
Ragusa, S., and Zedan, M.A.. 1988. Biology and predation of Hypoaspis aculeifer (Canestrini) (Parasitiformes, Dermanyssidae) on Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Fum. & Rob.) (Acariformes, Acaridae). Redi. 71: 213–226.Google Scholar
Rutherford, T.A., Trotter, D.B., and Webster, J.M.. 1985. Monitoring fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae) in cucumber greenhouses. Can. Ent. 117: 1387–1394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAS Institute. 1985. SAS User' Guide: Statistics. SAS Institute, Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Walter, D.E., and Oliver, J.H.. 1989. Geolaelaps oreithyiae, n.sp. (Acari: Laelapidiae). A thelytokous predator of arthropods and nematodes, and a discussion of clonal reproduction in the Mesostigmata. Acarologi. 30: 293–303.Google Scholar