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Submitted to: Mississippi Insect Control Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 11/19/1986 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Insecticides can disrupt natural enemy populations and contribute to outbreaks of pest insects. Conservation and/or enhancement of natural enemies and mass-rearing and subsequent mass-release of natural enemies are two strategies for management of pest populations in an environment such as cotton where insecticide usage can disrupt complexes of natural enemies. Techniques for conserving and/or enhancing natural enemies include the following: 1) using selective insecticides on a strictly as-needed basis to reduce the number of natural enemies killed, 2) using Bt cottons to reduce to number of insecticide treatments needed in a growing season, 3) using host specific insect viruses which can compliment other natural enemies, 5) using cover crops to build up natural enemies before cotton is planted, and 6) using nurseries to protect and build up natural enemy complexes. Artificial diets have been or are being developed for several species of natural enemies. This makes these natural enemies good candidates for mass-rearing and subsequent mass-release in cotton fields. Possible candidates for this management strategy include Georcoris punticeps, Orius insidiosus, Trichogramma spp., Chrysoperla spp., Catolaccus grandis, and lady beetle species. |
