Pest Management of Flowering Plants Under Protected Cultivation

Abstract

The production of crops under protected conditions, whether in climate-controlled greenhouses and glasshouses or covered by plastic sheets or ‘insect-proof screening’ (‘tunnels’) with little or no climate control is increasing worldwide. The warm, humid conditions and abundant food under protected conditions provide an excellent, stable environment for pest development. Often, the natural regulating factors such as predators and parasitoids that keep pests under control outside are not present in a protected environment. For these reasons, pest situations often develop in the indoor environment more rapidly and with greater severity than outdoors. The damage inflicted by arthropod pests on greenhouse crops varies with the pest and season. The level of damage that can be highly tolerated is greatly dependent on the type of crop, as ornamental crops cannot accept a high level of damage due to their production for the aesthetic value. Mainly, added-value crops grown under protected cultivation are rose, carnation, gerbera, and chrysanthemum. Several insect-pest and mite species have been recorded in association with the 164crops under protected environment. Some of the important pest groups are aphids (Myzus persicae, Aphis gossypii), leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii), mites (Tetranychus urticae and Polyphagotarsonemus latus), thrips (Thrips tabaci and Scirtothrips dorsalis) and whiteflies (Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci). The suitable way of managing these insect-pests can be integrated pest management (IPM). It is a systematic approach to manage pests that combine a variety of techniques and strategies to either reduce pest populations or lessen their economic impact. It is a site-specific strategy for managing pests that relies on correct pest identification and understanding the pest biology. It also includes an emphasis on avoidance, selective use of pesticides, and safe waiting intervals based on harvest time pesticide residues needed to be established for the crop under protected cultivation. Apart from this, emphasis on improving the awareness level of the growers for timely diagnosis and judicious use of insecticides needs to be taken up on priority.