• Whitefly

  development of fruit and lead to a reduction in yield. By sucking plant sap and secreting honeydew, whitefly reduces the aesthetic value of crops. This [...] wasps are key in reducing whitefly populations by parasitizing larvae and host feeding. Predatory mites and bugs feed on eggs and larvae of whiteflies. [...] larvae need a lot of nutrients for growth, and thus consume a large quantity of plant sap. This contains a high proportion of sugar, and the excess is excreted

• Gummy stem blight

  drops, tools and hands of workers. The ascospores are the main source of dispersal of disease upwards in the crop and the conidia for spread of the disease [...] leaves and inside the fruits may occur together or individually. Life cycle and appearance of Gummy stem blight Mycosphaerella cucumis survives in crop debris [...] within two days after opening in areas suspected of disease (only feasible in high-wire crops) Pick and remove dead and diseased leaves Prevent plant diseases

• Tobacco whitefly

  development of fruit and lead to a reduction in yield. The honeydew deposited on fruit makes it sticky. Dirt adheres to the fruit, and the growth of sooty moulds [...] because of its high level of resistance to many insecticides and its propensity for the transmission of viruses. Life cycle and appearance of Tobacco whitefly [...] irregular ripening in tomatoes and sweet peppers, yellowing of the flower stalks in gerbera, and serious yellowing of the leaves of French beans. Other

• Beet armyworm

  (Spodoptera exigua) lays its eggs in packets, sometimes in several layers, and on top of a mass of white, cottony hairs and scales from the moth’s body. The [...] the growth of the crop. With a substantial population of caterpillars, the damage can spread to the stems, and in the worst cases to the fruit. This often [...] contents being consumed. In ornamental crops the worst damage is caused by attacks on flowers and buds. Life cycle and appearance of Beet armyworm The beet

• Apple scab

  appearance of Apple scab Venturia inaequalis overwinters in the form of unripe fruiting bodies in infected fallen leaves or in lesions on twigs. These unripe [...] are released and repeat the cycle of infection of new plant parts and spore production. In autumn, the fungus produces new pseudothecia in leaves that have [...] petioles and fruits and sometimes on twigs and bud scales. The lesions are olive-green. When spores are produced, the lesions become grey and fluffy. The

• La Hacienda Fresh increases crop profitability thanks to biological control

  ty of a crop is based on the quantity and quality of its fruits and the time in which they can be produced and harvested, the price of the fruit in the [...] longer shelf life, but also in the number of productive weeks and, therefore, in the profitability of the business. The implementation of a biological [...] for the worker and a better quality of fruit for export, since it is produced in safer conditions." Importance of bell pepper cultivation in Mexico The p

• Citrus mealybug

  distribution and many and diverse host plants. In temperate regions of the world this mealybug poses a problem in greenhouse horticulture, and in the tropics [...] reduction of photosynthesis and therefore the yield. Flowers and fruit often drop off. Plant sap is rich in sugars, but low in proteins. In order to gain [...] reduced level of photosynthesis in the leaves also reduces flower and fruit production. In ornamental crops, the mere presence of mealybugs is sufficient

• Flies

  on soft fruits in Europe and North America. Sciarid flies and shore flies are mainly a problem in greenhouses. Their larvae live in the ground and prefer [...] damage is the immediate result of larvae feeding on root hairs and tender roots as well as stem and leaf tissue and fruits. The lesions caused by feeding [...] Biological control of flies Flies are a common pest problem in greenhouse and field crops, where they disturb plant growth, spread diseases and affect crop hygiene

• Bacterial spot

  rough and light brown. On fruits the spots are first small, circular and green but they turn brown, become raised and look like cracked scab. Life cycle [...] volunteer plants and crop debris Avoid waste piles in the vicinity of the greenhouse or field Resistant cultivars of pepper are available and should be used [...] cycle and appearance of Bacterial spot Xanthomonas vesicatoria survives on volunteer tomato plants in the field and on diseased plant debris. The bacteria

• Caterpillars

  damage crops. Most of them feed on nectar. In contrast, the caterpillars have biting and chewing mouthparts and can devour large amounts of plant tissue. Many [...] control of caterpillars Caterpillars are highly destructive pests that feed on leaves, stems and fruits, causing serious damage to greenhouse and field crops [...] crops. Biological control of caterpillars combines monitoring and control strategies that target different life stages of the pest: Beneficial nematodes Pheromone