See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320702556 Arthropod Pest Management in Organic Vegetable Greenhouses Article · October 2017 DOI: 10.1093/jipm/pmx021 CITATIONS 0 7 authors, including: Beatriz maria Diaz Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria 25 PUBLICATIONS 262 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Beatriz maria Diaz on 29 October 2017. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Journal of Integrated Pest Management, (2017) 8(1): 29; 1–14 doi: 10.1093/jipm/pmx021 Recommendations Arthropod Pest Management in Organic Vegetable Greenhouses Phyllis G. Weintraub,1,7 Eitan Recht,2 Lilach Lily Mondaca,3 Ally R. Harari,4 Beatriz Maria Diaz,5 and Jude Bennison6 1Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, D.N. Negev, 85280 Israel, 2Plant Protection and Inspection Services, POB 78 Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel, 3Sapir Academic Collage, D.N. Hof Askelon, 79165, Israel, 4Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel, 5Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Concordia, CRER, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Yuquerí. Concordia 3200, Entre Rios, Argentina, 6ADAS Boxworth, Cambridge, CB23 4NN, United Kingdom, and 7Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Subject Editors: Larry Godfrey (deceased 18 April 2017) and Melissa Willrich Siebert Received 10 January 2017; Editorial decision 19 July 2017 Abstract We present a comprehensive discussion of pest management in organic greenhouse vegetable production. Greenhouse structures and production practices vary greatly in different regions of the world. In northern Europe and North America, they are closed heated structures because of the long periods of cold weather and biological control is highly developed. In Israel, commercial greenhouses are made of netting or plastic, are not heated because the winters are generally mild in comparison with northern climes and hot in the summers, and biological control is used almost exclusively on some crops. In South America, greenhouses are simple structures covered with plastic material without nets or heating/cooling systems. We limit our discussion to properly closed and ventilated greenhouses, exclusive of structures that are opened for any period during the day or season. Our discussion covers greenhouse structure; the first line of defense, regulatory, and phytosanitary measures; various management methods; and finally specific management of primary pest groups, mites, thrips, hemipterans (aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies), and small Lepidoptera. Key words: biological control, cultural control, integrated pest management Pest management in organic greenhouses is conceptually the same increasing in importance in organic production strategies. There as pest management elsewhere; however, due to the limitations and are a limited number of organic pesticides available and most have restrictions in organic agriculture, the techniques and strategies used short persistence on plants and in the environment. A primary man- tend to focus on augmenting natural processes and hence focus on agement tactic is the manipulation of natural enemies: releases of tactics that produce longer term effects. For example, the land for commercially reared predators and parasitoids and occasional aug- organic agriculture either must have never been used for crop pro- mentation by providing alternative host plants and push-pull meth- duction or there must have been a minimum of 3 (in some places ods of directing pests away from economic crops and into areas 5) years without the use of any synthetic soil amendments, ferti- where they are more vulnerable to management. lizers, pesticides, genetically modified crops, or sewage sludge. The Greenhouse structures and production practices vary in different selection of available materials from the preceding list is far fewer regions of the world. In northern Europe and North America, closed than those for nonorganic Integrated Pest Management (IPM) pro- ventilated, heated structures are used because of the long periods of grams, so decisions must be made more carefully. Finally, meticulous cold weather; crops are either planted directly in the ground or in records and periodic on-site inspections ensure that regulations are growing media or in soil-free culture systems; and biological control adhered to and organic certification maintained. is highly developed. In Israel, commercial greenhouses are covered In preparation for cultivation, cultural control methods such as with insect netting or plastic sheeting; are not heated because the soil solarization can be used in warm climates. Crop-free periods, winters are generally mild by comparison to northern climes and hot while not an exclusive organic control method, can be used in ex- in the summers; crops are grown either in the ground or in soil-free tremely hot or cold climates to reduce pest levels. In addition to or- culture systems on the ground or suspended, and biological control ganic pesticides, semiochemicals (behavior-modifying compounds) is used almost exclusively on some crops. In South America, com- and biopesticides (microbial control agents including entomopath- mercial greenhouses are simple structures covered with plastic mate- ogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses, and botanical biopesticides) are rials without nets or heating/cooling systems and biological control © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/ 1 licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. For commercial re-use, please contact [email protected] 2 Journal of Integrated Pest Management, 2017, Vol. XX, No. X is generally underdeveloped but is growing in many countries and Table 1. Insect exclusion screening hole-size recommendations currently implemented in countries such as Brazil and Colombia Insect pest mm (Bueno 2005). Vegetable crops are grown mainly in ground, but soil- free production methods are increasing for conventional crops with Aphids 0.34–0.3411 the use of hydroponic systems or Nutrient Film Technique in arid or 0.266 × 0.8182 semiarid regions due to the limited amount of water available or to 3 poor local soils. In South America, hydroponics are mainly used in 0.266 × 0.818 Brazil (Rodriguez-Delfin 2012). Whiteflies 0.46–0.4621 The following review presents a comprehensive view of pest 0.266 × 0.8182 management in organic vegetable production. The discussion will be 0.230 × 0.9003 limited to closed structures that may have covered opening vents but 1 whose walls are not opened during any part of the day. The authors Dipteran leafminers 0.61–0.64 represent perspectives from researchers, regulators, and practicing 0.266 × 0.8182 commercial biological control industry advisors. 0.530 × 0.5303 Thrips 0.19–0.1921 Greenhouse Structure 0.150 × 0.1502 Greenhouses are simply covered structures in which plants are 0.135 × 0.1353 grown. Initially and for hundreds of years, greenhouses were cre- ated to produce flowers and vegetables out of season. In cooler tem- 1Bethke and Paine (1991), 2Green-Tek (2015), and 3Stansly and Naranjo (2010). perate climes, greenhouses are still primarily used for that purpose but also to produce higher quality produce. In southern temperate, subtropical and tropical climes, the primary purpose of green- Phytosanitation houses is for plant protection and to prevent immigration of pests. For many plant and animal pest species, greenhouses provide a These structures range from having very simple passive heating to plethora of food coupled with environmental conditions that favor computer-controlled wall and roof openings, illumination, irriga- their population development over time. In organic production, the tion, and heating. Commercial greenhouses are constructed from a easiest, least expensive, and most effective practice is to prevent pests variety of building and cladding materials and in sizes from walk-in from entering the greenhouse is phytosanitation. Internationally, tunnels enclosing relatively few square meters to large structures of regulations provide most national plant protection organizations a hectare or more. with guidance and the measures available to restrict pest movement Solid walls, glass or plastic, are effective for retaining heat and across borders and in trade (Ebbels 2003, Burgman et al. 2014). At are best used in cooler temperate climates. An unfortunate devel- the greenhouse level, phytosanitation practices include measures opment in northern climes with short day lengths was the devel- aimed at reducing the chance of pest establishment. These guidelines opment and utilization of high-pressure sodium lamps. While these include: 1) double access doors (interlocking) to limit the entrance lights extended the growing season, they also allowed greenhouses of arthropods (and improve thermal insulation). 2) Footbaths filled to become warm incubators for a variety of arthropod pests all year with disinfectants at points of access to the greenhouse, to reduce round. At an International Organization for Biological Control pathogen movement. 3) Washing stations with soap and water for meeting in Finland in 2005, there was a