Advice
Whitefly
Begin weekly preventative releases of Encarsia formosa immediately after planting or three weeks after the last abamectin application. Dicyphus hesperus can be released two weeks later. Dicyphus makes very little contribution to the spread of Mucor, unlike the more frequently used predatory bug Macrolophus. It is important that Dicyphus is deployed at as early a stage of cultivation as possible in order to achieve an adequate population within the crop in good time despite the slower speed of development. In the event of an insufficient supply of food in the crop, the predatory bugs can be given extra food in the form of Ephestia eggs on the leaves every two weeks.
If whitefly are present, the number of parasitic wasps should be adapted to match the rate of infection, and a switch should be made to a mixture of Encarsia formosa and Eretmocerus eremicus. If Bemisia tabaci is present, Eretmocerus mundus should also be deployed. Release Eretmocerus eremicus into hot-spots over the course of a number of weeks. Release parasitic wasps on a weekly basis until a parasitic rate of 85% has been reached, or until there are sufficient predatory bugs.
The predatory mite A. swirskii makes a major contribution in combating both species of whitefly. At least 3,000 slow-release bags of A. swirskii per hectare should therefore be set out preventatively one week before initial flowering.
In the event of an overly large population of whitefly, the levels can be greatly reduced by means of two or three spray applications of the anti-fungal agent MYCOTAL+ADDIT.
Thrips
The preventative setting out of slow-release bags of Amblyseius swirskii one week before initial flowering is also important in the case of thrips: at least 3,000 per hectare.
From week 10 of cultivation Orius laevigatus should be deployed preventatively. However, if a large enough population of A. swirskii is already present and DICYBUG is also deployed, Orius may not need to be used. If thrips is detected before week 10 of cultivation, you should use THRIPOR immediately!
In the event of an increase in the numbers of thrips, spread extra Orius or extra Amblyseius swirskii on hot-spots.
The predatory bugs Dicyphus (and Macrolophus) have side effects on Echinothrips americanus.