Thrips control
Ambly-line cu
Amblyseius(Neoseiulus) cucumeris
Amblyseius(Neoseiulus) cucumeris
Product description.
Ambly-line cu. contains the predatory mite Amblyseius cucumeris (Oudemans) Phytoseiidae, Acari.
It is available in a special sachet formulation containing a breeding colony of mites which gives continuous release of predators over a period of 6 weeks or more. Sachets are pre-perforated to allow mites to escape.
It is also available as loose bran or vermiculite based formulations, for sprinkling directly onto the crop.
Amblyseius cucumeris is a small predator that feeds on a wide range of small arthropod prey. It is used primarily for control of thrips, particularly Frankliniella occidentalis, but can also be used for control of Tarsonemid mites on a number of crops and can reduce Rust Mite (Eriophyid) populations. It will also prey on spider mites, but does not offer significant control.
Because Amblyseius cucumeris is small, it feeds only on the smallest thrips larvae and cannot attack large larvae or adults. For best results it is nnecessary to have as many predatory mites present as possible to prevent thrips larvae reaching maturity.
The CRS system is an innovative release system pioneered by Syngenta Bioline (then Bunting Biological Control) in 1991, in response to the increasing damage caused by the pest Frankliniella occidentalis, which had newly arrived in Europe. Each CRS sachet is made of special non-porous paper, and contains a breeding colony of the predatory mite together with another mite, which serves as a food source. Amblyseius cucumeris emerge over an extended period at a regular rate, ensuring the continuous presence of predators on the crop throughout the life of the sachet. The average recorded emergence is approximately 400 mites per sachet per week, giving a total release of over 2,400 mites over the life of the sachet. Numbers will vary depending on temperature and conditions of use. Because the mites are emerging continuously, there is no need for them to establish on the target crop for them to offer thrips control. This is the first time that this has been the case for a biological control agent.
The product also illustrates the importance of formulation in product performance: although Amblyseius cucumeris is a relatively small and weak predator, the CRS system offers excellent control by providing high and continuous release rates of mites onto the crop. It can also be produced in very large numbers at reasonable cost, so can outperform predators that are more efficient but difficult and costly to produce, simply by being present in large numbers.
(Amblyseius cucumeris)
Carefully separate the sachets along the perforations.
Suspend each sachet amongst the foliage, so that it is, or will soon be, shaded from direct sunlight.
DO NOT hang the sachets immediately adjacent to heating pipes, as this significantly reduces the life of the sachet.
STORAGE
Use within 18 hours of receipt.
Store between 10-15°C out of direct sunlight.
Because it can only attack small thrips, Amblyseius cucumeris is best used early, to prevent thrips establishment on the crop. For crops where thrips present a major problem, CRS sachets provide an ideal solution. They ensure that very large numbers of predatory mites are present on the crop for an extended period, so protection is provided even on plants where the mites will not establish. By attacking thrips larvae as they emerge from the egg, large numbers of Amblyseius cucumeris can prevent the establishment of a population. Use this system on cucumbers, peppers, aubergines and ornamental plants under protection.
Use the loose formulations on pollen rich crops where the Amblyseius cucumeris will be able to establish, or where thrips present a less significant risk. This is also the formulation of choice for control of Tarsonemid mites on strawberries.
CRS sachets.
Hang these from the stems of the crop or the strings supporting it so that they remain in the shade. A standard rate would be one sachet/m², but this may be increased to one sachet per plant in some crops. Replace the sachets every six to eight weeks to ensure protection of your crop. Low humidity can reduce sachet life, so hang them away from heating pipes and out of direct sunlight.
Sachets must be applied preventively and used at the recommended spacing and frequency. Independent research has shown that early use can prevent damage on cucumber foliage, but even a two-week delay in application can allow damaging populations to develop with a consequent loss of 20% of the leaf area.
Loose bran or vermiculite formulations.
Sprinkle these onto the crop where required to achieve uniform cover of the area. Use rates of 50-100 Amblyseius cucumeris/m², and repeat weekly or fortnightly for thrips control.
The vermiculite formulation is for use on crops that are sensitive to bran.
Tarsonemid Mite.
For control of Tarsonemid mites on strawberries, apply rates of up to 400/m² onto damaged plants, and those in a ring 2 metres around the foci of infestation. Apply at a lower rate of 50/m² for a further 2 or 3 metres, then at a rate of 20/m² over the rest of the crop.
Do not use Amblyseius cucumeris at temperatures that remain below 10°C for long periods, or in very dry areas. Sachets are formulated to withstand constant humidity as low as 50% RH, or short periods of lower humidity. They will not perform well in humidities that remain below this for longer periods.
No formulation of Amblyseius cucumeris will control large populations of thrips that are already well established, nor prevent damage from invading adult thrips. The best that can be expected is a reduction in the level of damage, although alternative methods may give enhanced control.
Other biological control agents suitable for control of thrips are: Orius spp, Amblyseius degenerans and Verticillium lecani. Hypoaspis miles is also used as part of a thrips control programme. Refer to the product information about these beneficials for more details on their use. For very large thrips populations, or where there is a serious risk of virus transmission, the available insecticides should be used to reduce populations initially.
Amblyseius cucumeris will help to prevent thrips damage to crops when applied preventively. Careful use can keep damage below an economic threshold. It will also significantly reduce populations of Tarsonemid mites and reduce, but not prevent, the spread of damage by Eriophyid mites such as Aculops lycopersici.
No Amblyseius cucumeris formulation will fully control large existing thrips populations, nor prevent damage from invading adults. Neither can they remove damage that already exists, so always use the product as early as possible to prevent damage occurring.
Many insecticides can be successfully combined with the use of Amblyseius cucumeris, particularly the CRS formulation. Thus selected compounds for control of whitefly and spider mite can be readily used, as can products for caterpillar and aphid control. While mites already on the plant may be damaged by the application of insecticides and fungicides, the sachet material itself affords protection to the colony within and mites will soon move out onto the plants.
There are unfortunately few chemical insecticides on the market at present that can be used for corrective treatment to reduce thrips populations without damaging Amblyseius cucumeris and other beneficials.
Amblyseius cucumeris in all its formulations is compatible with other beneficial mites, insects and nematodes, as well as fungal pathogens. The importance of Frankliniella occidentalis as a pest has made the CRS formulation of Amblyseius cucumeris one of the key building blocks for Integrated Crop Management programmes in Europe.