Weerbare teeltsystemen tegen invasieve tripsplagen in de glastuinbouw

Samenvatting

Among the more than 6300 described thrips species, hundreds of species are known as serious pests of commercially important crops. Growers need to protect their crops not only from native thrips species, but also from new invasive thrips species which regularly arrive from other continents through international trade. Some of these invasive species can cause serious damage, like the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis, arrived from North America in the 1980s. Finding crop protection strategies adapted to invasive species remains a challenge due to limited knowledge of their characteristics and a lack of natural predators. This 3-years research project aimed to develop knowledge on 4 invasive thrips species (Thrips parvispinus, Thrips setosus, Dichromothrips corbetti, Chaetanaphothrips orchidii) present in the Netherlands, in order to find suitable biological control strategies against them. We studied their developmental time, their behaviour and the potential of different natural enemies (insects, mites and microorganisms) to control them in Anthurium, lily and Phalaenopsis greenhouses. Our results show that there is great potential for biological control of invasive thrips, but that the unfavorable conditions for natural enemies in these crops can limit its effectiveness.