• Whitefly

  Biological control of whitefly Whiteflies are common pests in greenhouse and field crops, feeding on plant sap and transmitting harmful viruses. Their [...] causes leaf yellowing and leads to honeydew deposits that reduce crop quality. Effective whitefly control is essential to maintain healthy, productive crops [...] crops and prevent the spread of diseases. Biological control of whiteflies uses a combination of natural enemies and tools that target different pest stages:

• Greenhouse whitefly

  General The greenhouse whitefly ( Trialeurodes vaporariorum ) is one of the major pests of vegetable and ornamental crops in greenhouses throughout the world [...] greenhouse whitefly ( Trialeurodes vaporariorum ) originally comes from tropical and subtropical America, probably Brazil or Mexico. Hundreds of plant species [...] species from different families serve as suitable hosts for this whitefly. It occurs on many crops, including aubergine, beans, cucumber, sweet pepper, tomato

• Tomato leafminer

  absoluta), a major pest of field- and greenhouse-grown tomatoes, belongs to the family of Gelechiidae . It is oligophagous, feeding mainly on Solanaceae [...] species . The main host is tomato but it also feeds on other solanaceous crop plants including potato, eggplant, capsicum pepper and tobacco as well as weeds [...] weeds such as Datura stramonium, Lycium chilense , and Solanum nigrum. Damage symptoms The most distinctive symptoms of damage done by the tomato leaf miner

• Diamond back moth

  belongs to the family of Plutellidae . It only attacks Brassicaceae species, including cruciferous weeds. The diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella) is suggested [...] suggested to have its origin in Europe, South Africa or East Asia, but is now present wherever its cruciferous hosts exist and it is considered to be the most [...] species. It is highly migratory and wind-borne adults can travel long distances to invade crops in other regions. Damage symptoms The caterpillar is a surface

• Caterpillars

  Biological control of caterpillars Caterpillars are highly destructive pests that feed on leaves, stems and fruits, causing serious damage to greenhouse and [...] Effective caterpillar control is therefore essential for maintaining healthy and productive crops. Biological control of caterpillars combines monitoring [...] different life stages of the pest: Beneficial nematodes Pheromone traps Sticky traps Pheromone traps support early detection and mass trapping of adult moths, while

• Flies

  Biological control of flies Flies are a common pest problem in greenhouse and field crops, where they disturb plant growth, spread diseases and affect [...] contamination. Effective fly control is essential to maintain healthy and high-quality crops. Biological control of flies combines targeted monitoring and [...] mites target fly larvae in the soil, while traps and attractants reduce adult populations and support monitoring. With Koppert’s biological solutions for

• Obscure mealybug

  mealy bug ( Pseudococcus viburni ) (formerly known as Pseudococcus affinis) originates from South America, but can now be found in many parts of the world [...] world with a temperate climate. It has a very similar appearance to the citrus mealybug (Planococcus citri) , but its body is covered with a thicker layer [...] layer of wax, the filaments around the body are longer (20-50% of the body size) and the two tail filaments are always markedly longer than the others. The

• Two-spotted spider mite

  spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae ) is a pest of many crops throughout the world. Despite their small size, they are capable of very rapidly doing severe damage [...] damage, due to their great reproductive capacity. There are more than 1200 species worldwide and many of them are major crop pests. The two-spotted spider [...] spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae ) is by far the most important species in greenhouses and many outdoor crops. Damage symptoms Larvae, nymphs and adults

• Broad mite

  s latus) occurs in the tropics and in greenhouses in temperate regions. The broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) has a wide range of host plants, especially [...] such as azalea, begonia, gerbera and cyclamen are also affected. Outside in temperate climates, broad mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) are not a serious [...] serious problem, as they are unable to overwinter. Mites belonging to the family of tarsonemids ( Tarsonemidae ) display a greater diversity of feeding habits

• Mealybugs and scales

  Biological control of mealybugs and scales Mealybugs and scale insects are persistent pests that feed on plant sap, weakening crops and producing honeydew [...] leads to sooty mould. Infestations reduce plant vigor, fruit quality and overall yield. Effective control of mealybugs and scales is essential to maintain [...] maintain healthy and marketable crops. Biological control of mealybugs and scales relies on natural enemies and monitoring tools that target different pest