Do you have screened vent areas adequate to keep out thrips, whitefly and aphids?
No? You risk sudden influxes of thrips, whiteflies, moths and aphids, some carrying viruses. Screening can be expensive to retrofit but can result in big reductions of flying pests coming into the crop. How did you do? Could you answer ‘yes’ to everything? Congratulations. You are now ready to add one more weapon to your arsenal – Biological control agents (BCAs). These things need to be in place before you start: • All nine of the above. Aim to spend 12 months setting the stage. • Remember that biological control is about prevention, not cure. You have no hope of control if the pests are already established. This is why you need an early detection system, and there is no substitute for regular monitoring. • Check out what BCAs are available from suppliers in Australia. Presently they include Phytoseiulus persimilis (a predatory mite) for spider mite, Encarsia formosa (a tiny wasp) for whitefly, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (beetle) for mealybugs and scales, Chilocorus (beetles) and Aphyt
