PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds

PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
LEGISLATION,
ETC
WHAT IS
BIOLOGICAL
CONTROL?
The Biological control Act 1984 (Cwlth) regulates the choice of target pests,
biological control agents which can be researched, approval for release and persons
releasing the agents. Target list of Biological Control Agents:
www.daff.gov.au/
Suppliers of biological control agents:
Australasian Biological Control (ABC) www.goodbugs.org.au/
Biological Farmers of Australia/Organic Standards www.bfa.com.au/
Organic Crop Protectants www.ocp.com.au/
Toxicity of commonly used chemicals to some beneficial species www.goodbugs.org.au/
AS 6000—2009. Organic and Biodynamic Products (Standards
Australia) outlines the minimum requirements to be met by growers and
manufacturers wishing to label their products ‘organic’ or ‘biodynamic’ (page 49).
CLASSICAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL may be defined as the deliberate use of a
pest's natural enemies to control a pest. In practice:
Several biological control agents may be released to control a single pest, eg
biological control of insects and mites may be brought about by other insects and
mites, diseases, pheromones and genetic engineering.
Insecticides not toxic to predators assist control. Fungicides, and other pesticides
used to control other pests and diseases must also be non-toxic to predators.
Some industries, eg cotton, have guides on the impact of individual insecticides on
natural predators of major cotton pests. By focusing on conserving the natural
enemies of major cotton pests, eg Helicopverpa, mites, aphids, mirids and tipworms,
it is possible to significantly reduce insecticide use without impairing productivity.
Biological control agents are most effective when used in IPM programs.
BY INSECTS
OR MITES
Many predators
and parasites
can be purchased
for release
Ladybirds feed
on aphids, scales
Twospotted
mite (about
0.5mm long)
Chilean
predatory
mite (about)
PREDATORS.
Predatory insects and mites feed on many other insects or mites (prey). Common
predators include ladybirds and mites. Predators can supplement their diet by
feeding on pollen, nectar and fungi.
General predators, eg
Ants, eg green ants
Assassin, pirate and damsel bugs
European and paper nest wasps
Lacewing larvae (various spp.)
Predatory ladybirds, eg
Ladybirds (various species)
Red chilocorus (Chilocorus circumdatus)
Ladybird (Rodalia cardinalis)
Cryptolaemus beetle (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri)
Native ladybird (Rhizobius lindi)
Predatory mites, eg
Chilean predatory mite (Phytoseiulus persimilis)
Predatory mite (Typhlodromus occidentalis)
Predatory mite (Hypaspis spp.)
Predatory mite (Neosiuilus cucumeris)
Predatory mite (Amblyseius victoriensis)
Predatory mite (Amblyseius montdorensis)
- Aphids
- Armoured scales
- Cottonycushion scale
- Mealybugs (many species)
- San Jose scale
- Twospotted mite
- Thrips
- Black vine weevil, thrips
pupae, fungus gnats
- Thrips
- Rust mites, broad mite
- Mealybugs, thrips
0.7mm long PARASITES.
Parasitic insects feed and live in, or on, a single insect. The most common parasitic
insects are wasps and flies which lay their eggs in adults, larvae and eggs of pest
insects. The wasp eggs hatch inside its host and the larva ultimately consume and kill
the pest. In the future it may be possible to alter the DNA of wasps so they can
parasitize a range of insect pests.
Wasp laying egg
in a scale insect
Wasps, eg
Wasp (Aphidius rosae)
Wasp (Encarsia formosa)
Wasp (Trissolcus basalis)
Wasp (Aphytis spp.)
Wasp (Aphelinus mali)
Wasp (Apunta spp.)
Wasp (Trichogramma spp.)
Wasp (Trichogrammatoidea
cryptophebiae) (MacTrix)
Wasp (Aphidius colemani)
Wasp (Metaphycus helvolus)
Greenhouse thrips parasite
(Thripobius semiluteus)
- Rose aphids
- Greenhouse whitefly nymphs
- Green vegetable bug eggs
- Red scale
- Woolly aphids
- Cabbage white butterfly caterpillars
- Moth eggs
- Macadamia nutborer eggs
- Aphids, eg green peach aphid
- Soft brown scale, black scale
- Greenhouse thrips
42 Insects and allied pests - Integrated pest management