Evaluation of main components of bio-intensive IPM programs for cucumbers in Central Florida: A model for hemp

Authors: OSBORNE, LANCE - University Of Florida; McKenzie, Cindy; LANDA, ZDENEK - University Of South Bohemia

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2020
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An important difference between conventional and bio-intensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is that the emphasis of the latter is on proactive measures to redesign the agricultural ecosystem to the disadvantage of a pest and to the advantage of its parasitoid, predator and pathogen complex. At the same time, bio-intensive IPM shares many of the same components as conventional IPM, including monitoring, use of economic thresholds, record keeping, and planning. Besides, biological control is preferably used when host plant specific bio-intensive IPM programs are developed and composed. This study was aimed to evaluate efficacy and compatibility of various components of a bio-intensive IPM program for cucumbers, with attention to different groups of biological agents (parasitoids, predators, antagonistic microorganisms, mycoparasitic and entomopathogenic microorganisms) and selected pesticides (botanical Neem-oil based pesticide, potassium bicarbonate fungicide). Also, various, techniques used to introduce natural enemies on target plants were tested, including “banker plant systems”, where slow release of parasitoids and predators is ensured through alternative plant and host. Finally, IPM components were evaluated in three case studies or subprograms: silverleaf whitefly, powdery mildew and a complete program with respect to whitefly, two spotted spider mite and powdery mildew. This program is the basis of a Biointensive IPM system for protecting Hemp in greenhouses.