Taking on WFTwith Biopesticides

Taro Saito

Biocontrols for thrips

Soil-dwelling stages

Biocontrols for thrips

Foliage-dwelling stages

Entomopathogenic Nematode

Steinernema feltiae

• Foundation for thripsbiocontrol program

• Different application methods: Drench /Foliar spray /Sprench

• 0 hrs REI

• Sprench application most efficient

• Reduces thrips pupae up to ≈60 %

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1wk post 3wks post 5wks post 7wks post 9wks post10wks post

Mea

n nu

mb

er

of

thrip

s

Drench/Foliar spray vs Sprench

Control

Drench/Foliar

Sprench

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

t = 0 t = 2 weeks t = 4 weeks t = 6 weeks t = 8 weeks

Growing media +nematode

Growing media + Plants+ nematode

Me

an n

um

ber

of

nem

ato

de/

g o

f d

ry s

oil The difference becomes

wider as the plants grow bigger

Nematode population

drops dramatically as the application

stops

Application stopped at week 6

Entomopathogenic Nematode

Insect Pathogenic Fungi

BotaniGard®

• WP and ES formulation

• Registered for thrips as foliar spray, targetting thrips adults and larvae

• 4 hrs REI

• The combo treatment suppressed thripspopulation development

• But was not significantly better than the individual treatments

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

W1 W3 W5 W7 W9 W10

Thr

ips

po

pu

latio

ns (p

er p

lant

)

Drench/Foliar

Sprench

BotaniGard

Sprench/BotaniGard

Control

Nematode and BotaniGard®

Relative efficacy

• HOWEVER, the combination significantly reduced damage.

• Important in an aesthetic crop

Degree of leaf damage

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

Control Drench/Foliar

Sprench BotaniGard Sprench/BotaniGard

Mea

n nu

mb

er

of

dam

aged

leav

es

aab

abcabc

c

Nematode and BotaniGard®

• Registered for greenhouse ornamental in 2013

• Mix granules with potting media

• 0 hrs REI

• Persists in soil, especially around roots

Insect Pathogenic Fungi

Met 52® granular

• Met 52/nematode combination suppressed thrips population

• Better than Met 52 high rate (3x than low rate)

• Also suppressed thripsafter the nematode application ceased at 6wks

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Control Met 52 High Met 52 Low S. feltiae Combo

Mea

n nu

mb

er

of

Thr

ips

/ p

ot o

f 4

pla

nts 2 weeks

4 weeks

8 weeks

a

ab

b

a

b

A A

B

C

BC

Relative efficacy

Nematode and Met52® granular

• Dalotia + Met52 → > 90% thrips mortality

• Mites + Met52 or BotaniGard → ≈ 90% thrips mortality

Soil predators and fungi

Compatibility and relative efficacy

Met52®

granular

BotaniGard® 22WP

Nemasys®

© Sesil corporation

Dalotia coriaria

© naturalinsectcontrol.com

Stratiolaelaps scimitus

© Koppert Biological systems

Gaeolaelaps gillespiei

Predators Microbials

+Efficacy

vsthrips pupae:

Compared with the

predator-only treatments

=

Compatibility

Enhanced in general when combined with

fungi

Slightly to moderately harmful to predators

No effect when combined with

nematodes

Insect Pathogenic Fungi

Met 52® EC

• Spores are suspended in petroleum distillate

• Registered for thrips and whiteflies

• Foliar spray application

• 0 hrs REI

• Nemasys was suspended in Met52 EC

• The nematode survival started to fall after 1hr.

• The tank mix should be prepared right before the application

Nematode and Met52 EC

Tank mix compatibility

70

75

80

85

90

95

0 30min 1 hr 2 hr 4 hr

Ne

mat

od

e s

urv

ival

(%)

Control

MetHigh

MetLow

b

ab

a

Time

• Both mite species were compatible with Met52 EC

• Generally compatible with BotaniGard 22WP

Foliage predatory mites and fungi

Compatibility

😶

😏

• The Met/cucu not significantly better than the cucumeris only -vs thrips.

• HOWEVER, the cucumeris only failed to control spider mites.

• But, the combination significantly reduced spider mites AS WELL.

Cucumeris sachet and Met52 EC

Relative efficacy

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

4wks 8wks 4wks 8wks

Thrips total Spider mites

control Met52 EC

cucumeris Met/ cucu

a

bbb

aab

bc ccc

a

b

b

a

c

d

Mea

n o

f p

estp

op

ula

tion

per

po

t of

4 p

lant

s

Swirskii sachet and Met52 EC

Relative efficacy

• The combination treatment was slightly better

• Overall, successfully suppressing thripspopulation growth to a minimal level.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

4wks 8wks 4wks 8wks

Thrips total Spider mites

Control Met52 EC

Swirskii Met52 EC+Swirskii

Mea

n o

f p

estp

op

ula

tion

pe

r p

ot o

f 4

pla

nts

a

ab

b b

a

b b b

*

a

abb b

• Met52 EC foliar spray

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

4wks 8wks

cucumeris Met/ cucu

Me

an o

f cu

cum

eris

po

pu

latio

n

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

4wks 8wks

Swirskii Met / swirskii

Me

an o

f sw

irski

ipo

pu

latio

n

Foliage predatory mites and Met52 EC

Compatibility on plants

• No difference in cucumeris /swirskiipopulation

• Compatible!

Take home

• Biopesticides(nematodes, fungi) can be effectively used in thrips IPM

• Compatible with predators (soil, foliar)

• In general, use of fungi can enhance thripscontrol when used with other natural enemies