Nieuwe methoden voor bestrijding van bodemplagen in de glastuinbouw. Deel 1: Biologie en bestrijding van Lyprauta sp. /

In the cultivation of Phalaenopsis orchids important damage is caused by so-called ‘potworms’, which in reality are the larvae of the Keroplatidae family (fungus gnats). These larvae live in the substrate, and primarily predate on soil-dwelling organisms. However, they also cause feeding damage to the root tips, leading to a reduction in overall plant growth. Even at low Keroplatidae density – mostly only a single larva per pot is present – the damage threshold is often exceeded in Phalaenopsis because of its relatively low number of roots. In this report research addressing a) the biology of Keroplatidae larvae, with special focus on Lyprauta cambria, and b) different ways to control L. cambria, and/or reduce the damage that the larvae cause to the root tips of Phalaenopsis is described