The omnivorous predator Macrolophus pygmaeus,a good candidate for the control of both greenhouse whitefly and poinsettia thrips on gerbera plants  

作　　者：Ada Leman Barbara L.Ingegno Luciana Tavella Arne Janssen Gerben J.Messelink 

机构地区：[1]Wageningen University&Research,Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture,Bleiswijk,the Netherlands [2]Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie,Forestall e Alimentari(DISAFA),ULF Entomologia Generate e Applicata,University of Torino,Grugliasco(TO),Italy [3]IBED,Department of Evolutionary and Population Biology,University of Amsterdam,Amsterdam,the Netherlands

出　　处：《Insect Science》2020年第3期510-518,共9页昆虫科学（英文版）

基　　金：This study was funded by the Dutch Product Board for Horticulture.Part of this work was supported by COST Action FA 1105:Towards a sustainable and productive EU organic greenhouse horticulture.

摘　　要：The poinsettia thrips Echinothrips americanus Morgan is a relatively new pest that has spread rapidly worldwide and causes serious damage in both vegetable and ornamental plants.In this study,we investigated if and how effective this pest can be controlled in gerbera by the omnivorous predator Macrolophus pygmaeus(Rambur).Because herbivores on plants can interact through a shared predator,we also investigated how poinsettia thrips control is affected by the presence of the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum(Westwood),a pest that commonly coexists with E.americanus in gerbera.In laboratory studies,we found that the predator M.pygmaeus fed on both pests when offered together.Olfactometer tests showed a clear preference of the predators for plants infested by whiteflies but not by thrips.In a greenhouse experiment,densities of both pests on single gerbera plants were reduced to very low levels by the predator,either with both pests present together or alone.Hence,predator‐mediated effects between whiteflies and thrips played only a minor role.The plant feeding of the shared predator probably reduced the dependence of predator survival and reproduction on the densities of the two pests,thereby weakening potential predator‐mediated effects.Thus,M.pygmaeus is a good candidate for biological control of both pests in gerbera.However,further research is needed to investigate pest control at larger scales,when the pests can occur on different plants.

关 键 词：apparent competition biological control Echinothrips americanus pest interactions prey preference Trialeurodes vaporariorum 

分 类 号：Q94[生物学—植物学]