Novel Technologies in Mass Rearing of Beneficial Arthropods · Anagyrus field trials in citrus | Western Cape, S.A Augmentation with Anagyrus sp. nr pseudococci should be conducted

Novel Technologies in Mass Rearing of

Beneficial Arthropods

Shimon Steinberg, BioBee Sde Eliyahu Ltd.ISRAEL ABIM, Basel, October 2013

Macrobial natural enemies for biological pest control

BioBee Sde Eliyahu Ltd. Produces, markets and implementscomprehensive solutions by means of:

Bumblebees for natural pollination

Sterile Mediterranean fruit flies for medfly control using Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

Biopesticides - To complement the natural enemy’s package

BioBee

• Established 1983

• Two hundred employees in Israel and

in 3 subsidiaries

• The majority of the produce is

exported to 100 destinations world-

wide

BioBee

Production of P. persimilis

Off-Plant Production of the Predatory Mite:

Phytoseiulus persimilis


Modified Tri-trophic System

P. persimilisSpider-miteBean


• Indoor (=climate room) controlled rearing system



• The product: age distribution includes 30-50% eggs



• The product: age distribution includes 30-50% eggs

• The product: well fed gravid females capable of

surviving storage and transport and establish

rapidly in the field

P. persimilis rate of establishment

Tomato | 2012

Spider mites population dynamics

Tomato | 2012

Prey/predator ratio

Tomato | 2012

BugFeed®

Inactivated Frozen Medfly Eggs

BugFeed®

• Alternative to Ephestia eggs as feed for mass

rearing of predatory bugs, predatory beetles,

others?

BugFeed®



others?

• One year storage capacity

BugFeed®



others?

• One year storage capacity

• Patent granted. Product on sale

BugFeed®

BugFeed® | as Good as Ephestia Eggs

Orius laevigatus mass rearing

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

Ephestia eggs 8 months stored

BugFeed®

Mixed diet

No. of

indiv

idual

s co

llec

ted

Diet

Low feeding

High feeding

0

2

4

6

8

10

Ephestia eggs BugFeed®

% M

ort

alit

y

Diet

High feeding

Low feeding

Mealybug Parasitoid’s Mummies

Mealybugs’ Mummies

Anagyrus pseudococciLeptomastix algirica

C:/Documents and Settings/shimons/Desktop/New Image.JPG

C:/Documents and Settings/shimons/Desktop/New Image.JPG



• A robust rearing system that can be applied to a number of mealybug parasitoids



• A breakthrough in delivery of mealybugparasitoids’ commercial products to the field



• A breakthrough in delivery of mealybugparasitoids’ commercial products to the field

• Patent granted (national phase). Two products on sale


R² = 0.9167

R² = 0.8949

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Avera

ge

eg

gs

/fem

ale

Em

erg

en

ce r

ate

(%

)

storage (days)

Anagyrus pseudococci(a) Emergence rate

(b) Fertility

R² = 0.9872

R² = 0.9832

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45A

vera

ge

eg

gs

/fem

ale

Em

erg

en

ce r

ate

(%

)

Storage (days)

Leptomastix algirica

(a) Emergence rate

(b) Fertility

Post-storage capacity | @12°C


0.05.0

10.015.020.025.030.035.040.0

15

.11

.20

11

29

.11

.20

11

12

.12

.20

11

29

.12

.20

12

14

.01

.20

12

28

.1.2

01

2

13

.2.2

01

2

5.3

.20

12

19

.3.2

01

2

7.0

4.2

01

2

21

.04

.20

12

% f

ruit

infe

ste

d

Robyn - % fruit infestation by mealybug

Control

2500/ha

5000/ ha

Moore et al. 2012

Anagyrus field trials in citrus | Western Cape, S.A


Moore et al. 2012

Anagyrus field trials in citrus | Western Cape, S.A

Augmentation with Anagyrus sp. nrpseudococci should be conducted at a rate ofat least 5000 parasitoids per ha in the firstyear, and possibly a lesser quantity from thesecond year onwards.

Conclusion

Take Home Message

Mass rearing of macrobial biocontrol agents is an everlasting challenge

BioBee has developed novel rearing techniques which contribute significantly to its commercial products’ Availability-Consistency-Quality

Thank you!

www.biobee.com