Md Touhidur Rahman B.Sc
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INTERACTION BETWEEN NATURAL ENEMIES AND INSECTICIDES USED FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS, FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALIS (PERGANDE) (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE) IN THREE CULTIVARS OF STRAWBERRY, FRAGARIA X ANANASSA DUCHESNE (ROSACEAE) Md Touhidur Rahman B.Sc (Zoology), M.Sc (Zoology) This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The University of Western Australia School of Animal Biology July 2010 ABSTRACT Interaction between natural enemies and insecticides used for the management of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in three cultivars of strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne (Rosaceae) Keywords: Frankliniella occidentalis, Typhlodromips montdorensis, Neoseiulus cucumeris, Hypoaspis miles, strawberry IPM, host resistance, spinosad, residual toxicity, LT25, resistance Integrated pest management (IPM) relies on the use of multiple tactics to reduce pest numbers below an economic threshold. One of the challenges for the implementation of IPM is using both insecticides and biological control. This is particularly difficult in horticultural crops where very little damage can be tolerated. Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a worldwide pest of economic importance associated with cultivated crops, ornamentals and weeds. It is considered a major pest of strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne (Rosaceae), and can be responsible for substantial yield loss. Insecticides are the main method of control for F. occidentalis in strawberry and other crops. Due to the rapid development of insecticide resistance and the limitations of existing biological control in Australia, there is a need to incorporate insecticides, natural enemies, and resistant host plants to keep the population below an economic threshold. This project sought to (i) evaluate commercial strawberry varieties for feeding and oviposition preferences of F. occidentalis, (ii) assess the compatibility of natural enemies with an insecticide currently used for F. occidentalis control in IPM programs, (iii) assess the effectiveness of the release of multiple species of natural enemies, (iv) determine the residual threshold of an insecticide which controls F. occidentalis effectively whilst having a reduced effect on natural enemies, and (v) assess the compatibility of natural enemies with an increased rate of an insecticide to manage an insecticide-resistant strain. Frankliniella occidentalis showed a distinctive olfactory preference in a choice trial evaluating the feeding preference of F. occidentalis to strawberry cultivars (Camarosa, Albion and Camino Real). Frankliniella occidentalis was attracted most to Camarosa for both feeding and oviposition, followed by Albion and Camino Real. Frankliniella occidentalis also preferred to feed on fresh leaves to those that had been fed upon by a conspecific. Of the three varieties tested, Camino Real was the least preferred cultivar for oviposition. The development period of F. occidentalis (from eggs to adult emergence) was shortest in Camarosa and longest in Camino Real. Overall, of the three varieties tested, Camarosa appeared the most favourable for F. occidentalis feeding, oviposition and population growth, and the other cultivars might be a better choice for growers seeking to reduce F. occidentalis populations. Spinosad (Success™; Dow AgroSciences Australia Ltd) is the only insecticide currently registered in Australia that is effective against F. occidentalis and regarded to be compatible in an integrated pest management program. A glasshouse study tested the compatibility of three predatory mite species, Typhlodromips montdorensis (Schicha) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), Hypoaspis miles (Berlese) (Acari: Laelapidae) [commercially available in Australia for thrips management] and spinosad. All three predatory mites appeared to reduce the F. occidentalis population in strawberry plants. The efficacy of predatory mites further improved when combined with spinosad. Spinosad posed no detrimental effect to mites when an interval between spinosad application and the release of predatory mites was maintained. Releases of the two-species combination T. montdorensis and H. miles, or all three species (T. montdorensis, N. cucumeris and H. miles) combined with spinosad applications were more effective in reducing F. occidentalis than single species releases. In Western Australia, strawberry is grown in low tunnels. Frankliniella occidentalis populations remain low during winter (June-August) and increase during spring (late September) to early summer. Therefore, the use of predatory mites prior to the increase in the F. occidentalis population in spring might be an approach to the management of F. occidentalis populations in the tunnel environment. A field trial revealed that predatory mites could be used to control F. occidentalis in low tunnel-grown strawberry plants in spring. Combined releases of ‘T. montdorensis and H. miles’ or ‘T. montdorensis, N. cucumeris and H. miles’ were most effective against F. occidentalis. Their beneficial effect was further increased when combined with spinosad. It was found that predatory mites performed better when released after a spinosad spray, compared to mites released before a spinosad application. At the recommended spinosad application rate (80 mL/100 L, 0.096 g a.i./L) to control F. occidentalis in strawberry, residues were toxic to the predatory mites. Thresholds for the contact residual toxicity of spinosad LT25 (lethal time for 25% mortality) were estimated as 4.2 days (101.63h), 3.2 days (77.72) and 5.8 days (138.83 h) for T. montdorensis, N. cucumeris and H. miles respectively. The residual threshold increased when predatory mites were simultaneously fed spinosad-intoxicated F. occidentalis and exposed to residues. Residual thresholds then increased to 5.4 days (129.67), 4 days (95.09), and 6.1 days (146.68 h) for T. montdorensis, N. cucumeris, and H. miles respectively. Spinosad residues were also repellent to predatory mites. According to the standards of the International Organisation for Biological Control (IOBC) the iii results of this study determined that spinosad is a short-lived chemical to N. cucumeris, and is slightly persistent to H. miles. On the other hand, the recommended rate of spinosad is a short- lived chemical to T. montdorensis, while with twice the recommended rate it was slightly persistent. The residual toxicity trial revealed that T. montdorensis, N. cucumeris and H. miles could be incorporated with a higher application rate of spinosad to combat against a spinosad- resistant strain of F. occidentalis, if the threshold period is maintained. Residual thresholds of twice the recommended rate of spinosad for T. montdorensis, N. cucumeris and H. miles were 6.1 days (146.76 h), 5.3 days (127.85 h), and 6.8 days (162.45 h) [LT25] respectively. Thus, predatory mites can be integrated with a higher application rate of spinosad if required, as long as the above-mentioned interval between application of spinosad and release of predatory mites is maintained. This study contributes to an emerging body of research aimed at developing an integrated management strategy for F. occidentalis in strawberry crops. Collectively, the findings in this study suggest that existing biological control agents (predatory mites) can be integrated with spinosad for the management of F. occidentalis in glasshouse- and field (low tunnel)-grown strawberry. This management strategy can be further improved by selecting resistant cultivars that are less suitable to F. occidentalis. However, there is scope to further improve the effectiveness of this strategy. This includes further field trials, testing of additional cultivars, and testing different release strategies for the biological control agents. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my supervisors Dr. Helen Spafford at The University of Western Australia (UWA), and Dr. Sonya Broughton at the Department of Agriculture and Food WA, for their advice and supervision. You both provided untiring and unerring guidance, valuable suggestions, and constructive criticism throughout this PhD. You have always made me think critically about every aspect of my work and I am immensely grateful for that. Thank you for making this thesis an enjoyable experience. I specially thank Helen for allowing me to come to Perth to follow my interest in integrated pest management. Mr Anthony Yewers, of Berry Sweet, Bullsbrook, was kind enough to give me strawberry runners (one of the key components of this project) and allow me to conduct an experiment on his farm. Mr David Cousins, Department of Agriculture and Food WA, helped me to raise and maintain strawberry plants and provided me with valuable information and seedlings. It is my privilege to thank Manchil IPM Services, WA, Biological Services, SA and Beneficial Bug Company, NSW, for providing predatory mites. I especially thank Kevin Murray, School of Mathematics and Statistics, UWA, for his great help in completing some of the statistical analyses presented in this thesis. I thank Peter Turner and Anna Williams for their friendship and advice, especially in my early days at UWA. I would also like to thank Peter Langland (School of Animal Biology), Sasha Voss (School of Forensic Entomology), Sayed Iftekhar (School of Agriculture Economics), Sharif-Ar-Raffi (School of Plant Biology),