Crops
 
Sweet pepper Crops main menu
  Pests in sweet pepper
 
General
Scouting & Monitoring
Contact with beneficials and bumblebees
Chemical corrections
Thrips
Spider mite
Aphid
Whitefly
Leafminer
Caterpillars
General remarks on the biological control in sweet peppers
 
Before introducing beneficials, the greenhouse and plants should be free of harmful pesticide residues.
Before the beginning of your cultivation discuss with your advisor a plan of approach for the whole season.

 
Scouting & Monitoring
 
Use yellow Bug-Scan® sticky traps for (timely) detection of flying insects. Hang during the heating of the greenhouse min. 20 yellow sticky traps per ha to detect the first flying insects.
Also use yellow Bug-Scan® sticky traps during the cultivation. Count and register during minimum the first 10 weeks of your cultivation the different kinds of flying insects which are captured on the sticky traps.

 
Contact with beneficials and bumblebees
 
Follow carefully the user’s instructions; always pay attention to the icons on the packing. If necessary consult the Icon Guide.
Introduce beneficials and bumblebees preferably early in the morning.
If you want to store the beneficials for a short time, you have to reckon with the mentioned storage temperature and the use by date which are mentioned on the packing.

 
Chemical corrections
 
If a chemical correction has been inevitable, use as much as possible selective chemical crop protection products. Try to apply chemical corrections on local spots.
In case of doubt about the side effects of pesticides, contact your advisor or consult the Side Effect Manual which is available on www.biobest.be.

 
Biological control of thrips
  Amblyseius-Breeding-System (A.B.S.) (predatory mite - Amblyseius cucumeris in breeding sachets)
 
During the heating of the greenhouse hang minimum 20 yellow and/or blue sticky traps per ha to detect the first adult thrips.
Introduce minimum 4.000 sachets/ha (in total minimum 1 million Amblyseius cucumeris/ha).
Start at the beginning of the flowering period (an earlier introduction is also possible).
Warning:
The products Amblyseius-Breeding-System (ABS) and Amblyseius-Slow-Release-System (ASR), which contain the predatory mite Amblyseius cucumeris delivered in breeding sachets, also contain Mold mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) and bran. Under certain circumstances such as a moist greenhouse climate or when using large quantities of breeding sachets, Mold mite population can increase to the point of causing damages in some crops (e.g. cucumbers). When planning to use these products in crops where they have never been used before, we recommend to first perform a small-scale trial or to discuss this with your Biobest advisor or supplier.
  Amblyseius-Breeding-System (A.B.S.) (predatory mite - Amblyseius cucumeris in 5L buckets)
 
Amblyseius cucumeris can be introduced before the flowering period as cultivation material on the pot.
Disperse on each pot minimum 2,5 cc. Introduce minimum 750.000 Amblyseius/ha.
If necessary repeat after 4 weeks if there is still no flower in the crop.
Warning:
The products Amblyseius-Breeding-System (ABS) and Amblyseius-Slow-Release-System (ASR), which contain the predatory mite Amblyseius cucumeris delivered in breeding sachets, also contain Mold mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) and bran. Under certain circumstances such as a moist greenhouse climate or when using large quantities of breeding sachets, Mold mite population can increase to the point of causing damages in some crops (e.g. cucumbers). When planning to use these products in crops where they have never been used before, we recommend to first perform a small-scale trial or to discuss this with your Biobest advisor or supplier.
  Amblyseius-System (predatory mite - Amblyseius cucumeris in 1 L-sprinkler tube)
 
If ABS is not used, Amblyseius cucumeris can be introduced as sprinkling material (50.000 Amblyseius cucumeris per liter).
Introduce minimum 2 x 500.000 Amblyseius/ha on the crop, with an interval of 1 to 2 weeks.
Apply only if there is sufficient flowering and a high relative humidity.
  Orius-System (predatory bug - Orius spp.)
 
Preventive: Introduce Orius as from week 6 to 8, or at later plantings from the first flowering.
Curative: Introduce Orius as from the moment that thrips (larvae or adults) in the crop are detected.
Introduce in 4 introductions minimum 1 Orius/m²

When the thrips damage increases: introduce Orius in and around the thrips hot spots. (minimum 5-10 Orius/m²).
Remark: Per packing maximum 5-10 introduction points.
  Degenerans-System (predatory mite - Amblyseius degenerans)
 
Preferably in combination with Amblyseius cucumeris and Orius.
Introduce minimum 2.500 Amblyseius degenerans/ha. The first introduction can only occur when there is sufficient flowering.
Remark: Per bottle maximum 100 introduction points.
Biological control of spider mites
  Phytoseiulus-System (predatory mite - Phytoseiulus persimilis)
 
Introduce minimum 6 Phytoseiulus/m² as soon as the first spider mite is detected.
The exact amount of Phytoseiulus depends on the severeness of the spider mite infestation. Introduce in and around the spider mite hot spots minimum 20 Phytoseiulus/m².

Remark:

  • Introduce Phytoseiulus on a protected place on the leaf, ± 15-20 cm under the top of the plant.
  • Reckon with the use of sulphur steamers till min. 5 days after introduction.
  Californicus-System (predatory mite - Amblyseius californicus)
 
Introduce Amblyseius californicus preventive on places where spider mite is early expected, minimum 4 Amblyseius californicus/m².

Introduce Amblyseius californicus preventive in the whole greenhouse: minimum 2 mites/m².
Remark: Introduce Amblyseius californicus when there are sufficient flowers in the crop.
  Feltiella-System (gall midge - Feltiella acarisuga)
 
In combination with Phytoseiulus at spider mite hot spots.
Introduce locally 1 pot (250 pupae) during 4-6 weeks.
Remark: The gall midges have an excellent ability to search, but they can become disorientated by frequent use of a sulphur steamer.
Biological control of aphids
  Aphidius-System (parasitic wasp Aphidius colemani)
 
Preventive: Introduce minimum 0,15 Aphidius colemani/m² per week
Curative: As soon as aphids are detected: introduce minimum 0,5 Aphidius colemani/m² per week, until an equilibrium is reached.
When there is enough parasitizing: introduce minimum 0,15 Aphidius colemani/m² per week as maintenance scheme.

Remark:
  Aphidoletes-System (gall midge - Aphidoletes aphidimyza)
 
Preventive: Introduce 0,1-0,2 Aphidoletes/m²/week

Curative: When aphids are detected in the crop, introduce 0,5-1 Aphidoletes/m²/week

Open the bottle and put it under the aphid hot spot, or disperse Aphidoletes, in heaps, on a moist substrate.
Remark: The gall midges have an excellent ability to search, but they can become disorientated by frequent use of a sulphur steamer.
  Ervi-M-System (parasitic wasps - Aphidius ervi )
 
When the first aphids are detected in the crop, introduce 0,1-0,25 Aphidius ervi/m²/week until an equilibrium is reached.

Introduce the parasitic wasps at the lower parts of the plant, preferably in the neighbourhood of aphid hot spots.


  Adalia-System (ladybird - Adalia bipunctata)
 
Introduce the Adalia-larvae in the immediate neighbourhood of aphid hot spots.
  Banker-System (Rhopalosiphum padi- open rearing system for the control of aphids)
 

Introduce the first Banker-System at the beginning of the first introductions of beneficials.
Introduce minimum 3-4 Banker-System/ha/week until there are minimum 10 Banker-System/ha.
One week after introduction of the first Banker-System, introduce 0,1 Aphidius colemani/m² until the first parasitized cereal aphids are detected.
When hyperparasitizing occurs, Aphidius colemani can be replaced by Aphidoletes aphidimyza.
Remark: Put the Banker-System in sunlight.
Biological control of whitefly
  If whiteflies are detected in the crop, please determine these with the help of your advisor. It is very important to know which species of whiteflies are present in the crop.
  Encarsia-System (parasitic wasp - Encarsia formosa)
 
During the heating of the greenhouse hang minimum 20 yellow sticky traps per ha to detect the first whitefly.
Curative: After detection of the first whiteflies, introduce during 4 weeks minimum 3 Encarsia formosa/m² until a sufficient number of whiteflies are parasitized (80-90%).
Remark: Encarsia formosa parasitizes preferably the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum).
  Mundus-System (parasitic wasp - Eretmocerus mundus)
 
Curative: After detection of the first whiteflies in the crop, introduce during 5 weeks minimum 3 Eretmocerus mundus/m² until a sufficient number of whiteflies are parasitized (80-90%).
Remark: Eretmocerus mundus parasitizes only the sweetpotato whitefly! (Bemisia tabaci)
  Eretmix-System (mix of Eretmocerus eremicus & Encarsia formosa)
 
A mix of Eretmocerus eremicus + Encarsia formosa (50/50) for the control of the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum).
Curative: As from February introduce during 4 weeks minimum 3-4 Eretmocerus eremicus + Encarsia formosa/m² until a sufficient number of whiteflies are parasitized (80-90%).
Biological control of leafminer
  Dacnusa-System / Diglyphus-System (parasitic wasps Dacnusa sibirica and Diglyphus isaea)
 

When the first leafminer infestations are detected, introduce minimum 0,25 Dacnusa/Diglyphus (90%-10%) m² per week, until an equilibrium is reached.
When the damage of the leafminer increases, introduce 100% Diglyphus at a dose of minimum 0,1 Diglyphus/m²/week during minimum 3 weeks or until a sufficient number of leafminers are parasitized.
Remark: Samples of the leaf should be tested regularly to determine the percentage of parasitized leafminers. To have a satisfying control, the percentage must be 80-90%.


Biological control of caterpillars
  Attract® Pheromone lures
 

For detection of the first moths in the greenhouse.

Hang minimum 2 Attract® pheromone lures per ha.

  • Hang the Attract® pheromone lures minimum 50 m from each other to prevent a mixture of the pheromones.
  • Replace the pheromone capsules regularly (every 4 weeks).
 

 

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