Biological Control Modified Banker Plants L S Osborne

Biological Control & Modified Banker Plants L. S. Osborne

Modified Banker Plants § § § Uses alternate hosts Uses confined hosts Potential to sell entire system May be specific to region Can move plants out if pesticides are needed

Modified Banker Plants § § Used to establish natural enemies Used to augment natural enemies Used to increase natural enemy numbers Used to evaluate quality of natural enemies

Modified Banker Plants § § § Used to evaluate quality of natural enemies Used to slow PESTICIDE RESISTANCE Can be integrated with pesticides if necessary TRAINING!

SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT SCOUT

Biological Control WHY?

100% Reliance on Pesticides = RESISTANCE

Crisis!

Biological Controls Parasites Predators Pathogens

Natural enemies • Parasite Parasitoid • Hyperparasite • Pathogen or nematode • Predator

TYPICAL RELEASE METHODS

Seasonal Inoculative Introduce natural enemies EIL Begin Cycle Time (months) End Begin Cycle

Problems- Economics

Problems- Availability

Problems- Quality Control

Problems- Pesticide Interactions

Solution? Modified Banker Plants (Open Rearing Systems)

Isolation Area 1 Clean Host Plants

Isolation Area 2 Infested Host Plants

Isolation Area 3 Infest with Natural Enemies

Banker Plants Introduce banker plants EIL Begin Cycle Time (months) End Begin Cycle

THRIPS BP= Pollen Producing Plants or Grain AH= Stored Product Mite or Pollen NE= Amblyseius swirskii, A. cucumeris, Orius

Banker System (without a plant) Amblyseius swirskii

A sachet contains bran, Carpoglyphus lactis (Dried Fruit Mite or Sugar Mite) and the predatory mite A. swirskii.

MEALYBUGS (open rearing system) BP= Potato or Squash AH= The mealybug pest NE= Parasitoids and Predators