CombiControl - Combining above- and belowground biological control agents for improved pest control in strawberry tunnel production

The present project explores the effects of combining above- and belowground biological control agents, to target several pest species in strawberry production in tunnels.
The effects of single and combined use of macro- and microbiological control agents, on the population growth of spider mites, Tetranychus urticae, on a common strawberry cultivar was evaluated in controlled laboratory experiments. Treatment combinations included root inoculations with the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium brunneum, and release of predatory mites, Neoseiulus cucumeris. The knowledge gained in the controlled experiments was implemented in field tests in combinations of predatory mites and EPF at larger scale in commercial strawberry tunnels. The objective was to investigate the effect of combining above- and belowground biological control on natural pest abundance, specifically spider mites, thrips, and aphids, as well as fruit damage throughout the production season.
The study found that the population growth of spider mites, T. urticae, reduced on strawberry plants with biological control treatments, while the results confirmed the importance of evaluating specific isolates within a fungal species. The combined application of M. brunneum belowground and the predatory mite N. cucumeris aboveground showed a potential for delaying pest population build up in commer-cial strawberry tunnel production, while severe infestations of thrips cannot be con-trolled by the biocontrol agents alone, and additional measures are needed to control such attacks by non-chemical means in strawberry tunnels.

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