Project title: Review of options for control of aphid pests in pepper Project number: PE 027 Project leader: Dr Tom Pope Address: Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB. Tel: 01952 815436 Email: [email protected] Report: Final report, November 2015 Previous report: None Key staff: Dr Lucy Fray, Harper Adams University; Dr Tom Pope, Harper Adams University; Dr Richard Binks, FreshTec Agricultural Consultancy Limited; Dr Rob Jacobson, Rob Jacobson Consultancy Ltd.; Professor Simon Leather, Harper Adams University. Location of project: Harper Adams University, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB. Industry Representative: Dr Neal Ward Address: Cantelo Nurseries Ltd, Bradon Farm, Isle Abbotts, Taunton, Somerset, TA36RX. Tel: 01460 281776 Email: [email protected] Date project commenced: 27th July 2015 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2016. 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All rights reserved 2 AUTHENTICATION We declare that this work was done under our supervision according to the procedures described herein and that the report represents a true and accurate record of the results obtained. [Name] [Position] [Organisation] Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................ [Name] [Position] [Organisation] Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................ Report authorised by: [Name] [Position] [Organisation] Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................ [Name] [Position] [Organisation] Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................ Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2016. All rights reserved 3 Contents GROWER SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 5 Headline ........................................................................................................................... 5 Background ....................................................................................................................... 5 Summary .......................................................................................................................... 6 Financial Benefits.............................................................................................................. 9 Action Points ................................................................................................................... 10 SCIENCE SECTION ........................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 11 Materials and methods .................................................................................................... 12 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................... 14 Pepper Cultivars .......................................................................................................... 15 Current key aphid pests of UK protected pepper ......................................................... 17 Hygiene ....................................................................................................................... 19 Physical barriers .......................................................................................................... 21 Biological control ......................................................................................................... 27 Hyperparasitism .......................................................................................................... 42 Open rearing units (Banker plants) .............................................................................. 46 Chemical control .......................................................................................................... 50 Biopesticides ............................................................................................................... 74 Application techniques ................................................................................................. 82 Information, communication and technology transfer of aphid control strategies ......... 85 Should aphid control be a focus of pest management research and knowledge transfer in protected peppers? .................................................................................................. 86 Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 86 Knowledge and Technology Transfer .............................................................................. 87 Appendices ..................................................................................................................... 87 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2016. All rights reserved 4 GROWER SUMMARY Headline This project collated relevant current knowledge on aphid control in protected pepper crops. Information was collected using a systematic literature review and interviews with growers and crop protection specialists. The project identifies key gaps in knowledge and opportunities to improve control of aphid pests. Background Aphids are one of the most serious pests of protected pepper crops grown in the UK. There are four key species of aphid pest; the peach potato aphid (Myzus persicae), the foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum solani), the melon and cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) and the potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae). Crop damage typically occurs when large populations of aphid retard and distort plant growth. In addition, honeydew produced by aphids can lead to the growth of sooty moulds on foliage and fruit. The foxglove aphid presents an additional problem in that its saliva contains toxins, which cause yellowing, twisting and distorting of the young leaves and necrotic spots on the fruit. Growers of both conventional and organic crops rely heavily on the use of aphid parasitoids, in particular Aphidius colemani, to control aphid pests. Predators, such as Aphidoletes aphidomyza, are also widely used for aphid control. Pesticide usage survey data shows that aphid control is cited as the reason for 74% of insecticide usage. For aphid control in conventional crops there is a current reliance on the use of pymetrozine (Chess WG) and pirimicarb (e.g. Aphox), while in organic crops, fatty acids (e.g. Savona) are frequently relied upon. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is well established and widely used by UK protected pepper growers. Growers are, however, under pressure to continue to effectively manage aphid pests. These pressures include, hyperparasitoids, which disrupt biological control programmes, insecticide resistance in key aphid pests, the limited range of effective insecticides and concerns over pesticide residue levels. In order to meet these and other challenges, growers need more information, which can either be immediately implemented or used to identify knowledge gaps and opportunities. Where knowledge gaps and opportunities exist, there is the potential for targeted research and knowledge transfer activities to develop practical solutions with which to improve aphid control in protected peppers crops. Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2016. All rights reserved 5 Summary Objective 1: Review and collation of current knowledge of controls and biology of aphid pests affecting pepper crops Task 1.1 Interviewing key industry representatives A total of sixteen representatives of the UK protected pepper industry were interviewed. This included six conventional pepper growers, one organic pepper grower (who also maintained a conventional crop), one conventional chilli grower, seven representatives of biological and chemical control suppliers and one seed supplier.