Green Challenges: systeemaanpak biologische plaagbestrijding met gebruik van functionele biodiversiteit: Deel 2: Eenjarige zomerbloeiers

The low pest tolerance, the harvest of the complete plants, the short cropping cycle and the low cultivation temperature in annual flowers form a challenge for biological pest control. The goal of the here described research was to design and test a systems approach of pest control in annual flowers on the basis of functional biodiversity. As a first step, an overview has been made of the most important pest and natural enemy species, and the potential chances and challenges for a systems approach of pest control in annual flowers. The first experiments showed that alternating rows of aphid-sensitive and aphid-resistant annual flower species could slow down the spread of aphids. In a second experiment, the strategy around the population build-up of the predatory bug Macrolophus pygmaeus in successive cropping cycles was central. To build up a population of M. pygmaeus, it is important to already start during wintertime. Pelargonium sp. form, with the right choice of species and cultivar, a good host crop for the early establishment of a M. pygmaeus population. To be able to use this population effectively in spots where these predatory bugs are needed, as ‘transport’ system is required to move the predatory bugs around. This ‘transport’ system still needs to be further developed.