Annual index

Abstract

Silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci biotype B (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), and chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), are key pests of vegetable crops in the US. The present study established ornamental peppers as banker plants supporting Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae) against the three pests. Specifically, this study (a) evaluated survival and population buildup of A. swirskii on three ornamental pepper varieties, Masquerade (MA), Red Missile (RM), and Explosive Ember (EE) in both laboratory and greenhouses and (b) determined the predation of A. swirskii reared on ornamental pepper plants to the targeted pests under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the three pepper varieties were excellent banker plants and able to support at least ∼1000 of all stages of A. swirskii per plant in greenhouse conditions and allow them to complete their life cycle. A. swirskii dispersed or released from the banker plants to target plants, resulting in significant suppression of the three pests, i.e., after 14 d post-release, a significantly lower average of 2.75 B. tabaci and 13.4 all stages of thrips (chilli thrips and western flower thrips) were found per bean plant, respectively, compared to 379.5 B. tabaci and 235.4 all stages of thrips per plant in the control. Furthermore, our experiment observed that the sweet pepper seedlings closed to banker plants were healthy, whereas those without banker plants were heavily infested by chilli thrips; their growth seriously stunted or died. This is the first report of ornamental pepper as banker plants supporting A. swirskii against three notorious pests. This established banker plant system could be a new addition to the integrated pest management programs for sustainable control of these three pests in greenhouse vegetables.