The ‘Black Pearl’ Pepper banker plant for Biological Control of Thrips in Commercial

Greenhouses

Sarah Wong, Steve FrankNorth Carolina State University

Banker PlantA plant that directly or indirectly provides resources, such as food,

prey, or hosts, to natural enemies that are deliberately released within a cropping system

Frank, S. D. (2010) Biological Control 52 8-16

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/06-081.htm

Black Pearl Pepper

http://www.eric.5596.org/photoblog/?cat=8

Overall Objective

To optimize implementation of the ‘Black Pearl’ Pepper banker plant system for controlling thrips in commercial greenhouses

First Question

How does pollen from the ‘Black Pearl’ Pepper Banker Plant affect O. insidiosus abundance?

Measured O. insidiosus adult and nymphal

abundance when flowers were present and absent

0 1 2 3 4 5 60.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00Adults (Flowers)

Adults (No Flowers)

Week

Aver

age

Abun

danc

e of

Adu

lt O

. ins

idio

sus

Average O. insidiosus adult abundance in the presence and absence of flowers over six weeks

0 1 2 3 4 5 60

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50Nymphs (Flowers)

Nymphs (No Flowers)

Week

Aver

age

Abun

danc

e of

Nym

phal

O. i

nsid

iosu

sAverage O. insidiosus nymphal abundance in the presence and absence of flowers over six weeks

0 1 2 3 4 5 60.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00

40.00

45.00

50.00

Adults (Flowers)Nymphs (Flowers)

Week

Aver

age

abun

danc

e of

O. i

nsid

iosu

s ad

ults

and

ny

mph

sO. insidiosus adults and nymphal abundance in the

presence of flowers over six weeks

0 1 2 3 4 5 60

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

FlowersNo Flowers

Week

Thrip

s ab

unda

nce

Average thrips abundance in the presence and absence of flowers over six weeks

http://www.fargro.co.uk/biologicals/gt-thrip.htm

First Question Summary

• Increased adult abundance– Increased nutrition– Reduced cannibalism

• Increased nymphal abundance– Flowers increase fertility– Better nutrition for nymphs– Reduced cannibalism

Second QuestionHow does the ‘Black Pearl’ Pepper banker plant

system work in commercial greenhouses?

Commercial Greenhouse: Ornamental Grasses Nursery~120x20’

Hoop houses with plastic covering

Treatments

CONTROL AUGMENTATION BANKER

No insecticides No insecticides No insecticides

No release Release O. insidiosus Release O. insidiosus

No banker plants No banker plants Banker plants

Banker Plant Treatment

24 plants per house

4 rows in each house6 plants in each row

Sampling with a ‘Bug Vacuum’

Insects found in vacuum samples

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/node/595

http://trmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ladybug.jpg

http://hymenoptera.tamu.edu/paroffit/?taxcpl=tax&taxcpl_id=7472

http://www.agroatlas.ru/pests/Rhopalosiphum_padi_en.htm

5/19 5/26 6/1 6/8 6/16 6/22 6/29 7/8 7/13 7/200

50

100

150

200

250

300

350ControlAugmentationBanker

Sample Date

Aver

age

Abun

danc

e of

Thr

ips

Thrips Abundance in Greenhouses Over Nine Weeks

Treatment: p = 0.007 Date: p = 0.014Trt*Date: p = 0.755

5/19 5/26 6/1 6/8 6/16 6/22 6/29 7/8 7/13 7/200

10

20

30

40

50

60Control

Augmentation

Banker

Sample Date

Aver

age

Abun

danc

e of

Spi

der M

ites Treatment: p = 0.054

Date: p = 0.038Trt*Date: p = 0.202

Spider Mite Abundance in Greenhouses Over Nine Weeks

Discussion

Reduced thrips and spider mite abundance

Discussion

Banker Plants vs. Augmentation?

http://go.ipublisher.nl/index.php?file_id=299

Emigration

Intraguild Predation

• Spiders present in grasses• Especially on the banker plants

http://uglyoverload.blogspot.com/2009/01/jumping-spider-eyes.html

http://tolweb.org/Lycosidae/2746

http://greennature.com/gallery/spider-pictures/lynx-spiders.html

Alternative Food Source

The Future of Banker Plants

Acknowledgements

SARE On Farm Research Grant to Steve FrankSARE Graduate Student Grant to Sarah K. Wong &

Steven D. FrankSally TaylorAlan StephensonAmy BaderC. Raker and Sons, Inc.Van Wingerden InternationalHoffman Nursery