Integrated pest management on sweet pepper in Indonesia: biological control and control thresholds for thrips.

摘要

Research on natural enemies of thrips and a control threshold to support integrated pest management (IPM) of thrips (Thrips parvispinus) on sweet pepper in protected cultivation in tropical conditions in Indonesia was conducted in 2003 and 2005. Exploration, identification and bio-assays of thrips' natural enemies took place in 2003, and evaluation of the potency of natural enemies and control thresholds took place in 2005. Three potential natural enemies of thrips were identified; two species of ladybird beetles, Menochilus sexmaculatus and Coccinella transversalis, and an entomophagous fungus, Verticillium lecanii. The use of M. sexmaculatus and V. lecanii suppressed plant damage due to thrips infestation and resulted in sweet pepper yields that were equal to yields where insecticides were routinely sprayed twice weekly. The implementation of thrips control thresholds suppressed the thrips population, maintained plant damage below 10%, and reduced the frequency of insecticide spraying by approximately 90%, and sustained sweet pepper yield.