Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites
To enhance food security, food safety, and environmental health, a bio-based integrated pest management (BIPM) strategy was evaluated at two coastal locations in Lebanon as an alternative to toxic pesticide sprays in commercial high-arched plastic tunnels common in many countries. The evaluation occ...
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/6/889 |
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| author | Yusuf Abou Jawdah Nour Ezzeddine Aya Fardoun Samer Kharroubi Hana Sobh Hagop S. Atamian Margaret Skinner Bruce Parker |
| author_facet | Yusuf Abou Jawdah Nour Ezzeddine Aya Fardoun Samer Kharroubi Hana Sobh Hagop S. Atamian Margaret Skinner Bruce Parker |
| author_sort | Yusuf Abou Jawdah |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To enhance food security, food safety, and environmental health, a bio-based integrated pest management (BIPM) strategy was evaluated at two coastal locations in Lebanon as an alternative to toxic pesticide sprays in commercial high-arched plastic tunnels common in many countries. The evaluation occurred during two cucumber and pepper cropping seasons: spring and fall. At each site, two commercial tunnels were used; farmers’ conventional practices were applied in one tunnel, while the BIPM approach was followed in the second tunnel. In the farmers’ practices, a total of 14 sprays of insecticide/acaricide mixtures were applied during the spring growing season, and 6 sprays were applied during the fall. In the BIPM tunnels, hotspot releases of local strains of <i>Amblyseius swirskii</i> and <i>Phytoseiulus persimilis</i> were applied. By the end of the spring season, the number of whitefly nymphs (WFNs)/leaf and thrips/leaf in the pesticide treatment were 4.8 and 0.06, respectively, compared to 0.1 and 0.33, respectively, in the BIPM treatment. Similarly, at the end of the fall season, the WFNs reached 19.7/leaf in the pesticide control as compared to 1.2/leaf in the BIPM treatment, proving the efficacy of <i>A. swirskii</i>. Farmers using conventional acaricides during both cropping seasons failed to control <i>Tetranychus urticae</i>, the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM). However, hotspot releases of <i>P. persimilis</i> were successful in controlling TSSM. By the end of June, the number of TSSMs reached 7.8/leaf in the BIPM treatment compared to 53/leaf in the pesticide treatment. Likewise, in December, TSSM numbers reached 9/leaf in the BIPM treatment compared to 40/leaf in the pesticide treatment. Preliminary observations of pepper showed that both predatory mites (<i>A. swirskii</i> and <i>P. persimilis</i>) gave similar or better efficacy against the three pests. The two local predatory phytoseiid mites seem to be effective in controlling these three major pests and to be adapted to local environmental conditions. A rate of increase of 0.86 was observed for <i>P. persimilis</i> and 0.22 for <i>A. swirskii</i>, in June, when maximum temperatures were close to 40 °C. This also shows a compatibility between the two predators. In conclusion, our BIPM approach was efficient under a Mediterranean climate in arched plastic tunnels with relatively poor aeration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:53:39Z |
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| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-400e4c14d40a4d56b0907b58ea3017ea2024-03-27T14:00:58ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-03-0113688910.3390/plants13060889Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid MitesYusuf Abou Jawdah0Nour Ezzeddine1Aya Fardoun2Samer Kharroubi3Hana Sobh4Hagop S. Atamian5Margaret Skinner6Bruce Parker7Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, LebanonDepartment of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, LebanonDepartment of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, LebanonDepartment of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, LebanonDepartment of Agriculture, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut P.O. Box 11-0236, LebanonBiological Sciences Program, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USADepartment of Plant and Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USATo enhance food security, food safety, and environmental health, a bio-based integrated pest management (BIPM) strategy was evaluated at two coastal locations in Lebanon as an alternative to toxic pesticide sprays in commercial high-arched plastic tunnels common in many countries. The evaluation occurred during two cucumber and pepper cropping seasons: spring and fall. At each site, two commercial tunnels were used; farmers’ conventional practices were applied in one tunnel, while the BIPM approach was followed in the second tunnel. In the farmers’ practices, a total of 14 sprays of insecticide/acaricide mixtures were applied during the spring growing season, and 6 sprays were applied during the fall. In the BIPM tunnels, hotspot releases of local strains of <i>Amblyseius swirskii</i> and <i>Phytoseiulus persimilis</i> were applied. By the end of the spring season, the number of whitefly nymphs (WFNs)/leaf and thrips/leaf in the pesticide treatment were 4.8 and 0.06, respectively, compared to 0.1 and 0.33, respectively, in the BIPM treatment. Similarly, at the end of the fall season, the WFNs reached 19.7/leaf in the pesticide control as compared to 1.2/leaf in the BIPM treatment, proving the efficacy of <i>A. swirskii</i>. Farmers using conventional acaricides during both cropping seasons failed to control <i>Tetranychus urticae</i>, the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM). However, hotspot releases of <i>P. persimilis</i> were successful in controlling TSSM. By the end of June, the number of TSSMs reached 7.8/leaf in the BIPM treatment compared to 53/leaf in the pesticide treatment. Likewise, in December, TSSM numbers reached 9/leaf in the BIPM treatment compared to 40/leaf in the pesticide treatment. Preliminary observations of pepper showed that both predatory mites (<i>A. swirskii</i> and <i>P. persimilis</i>) gave similar or better efficacy against the three pests. The two local predatory phytoseiid mites seem to be effective in controlling these three major pests and to be adapted to local environmental conditions. A rate of increase of 0.86 was observed for <i>P. persimilis</i> and 0.22 for <i>A. swirskii</i>, in June, when maximum temperatures were close to 40 °C. This also shows a compatibility between the two predators. In conclusion, our BIPM approach was efficient under a Mediterranean climate in arched plastic tunnels with relatively poor aeration.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/6/889food securitybio-based integrated pest managementtwo-spotted spider miteswhitefliesthripsaphids |
| spellingShingle | Yusuf Abou Jawdah Nour Ezzeddine Aya Fardoun Samer Kharroubi Hana Sobh Hagop S. Atamian Margaret Skinner Bruce Parker Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites Plants food security bio-based integrated pest management two-spotted spider mites whiteflies thrips aphids |
| title | Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites |
| title_full | Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites |
| title_fullStr | Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites |
| title_short | Biological Control of Three Major Cucumber and Pepper Pests: Whiteflies, Thrips, and Spider Mites, in High Plastic Tunnels Using Two Local Phytoseiid Mites |
| title_sort | biological control of three major cucumber and pepper pests whiteflies thrips and spider mites in high plastic tunnels using two local phytoseiid mites |
| topic | food security bio-based integrated pest management two-spotted spider mites whiteflies thrips aphids |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/6/889 |
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