Investigation of biological plant protection in protected culture of pepper

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of regularly applied biological control by continuous monitoring of pests with the help of color traps (sticky sheets) and flower tests with joint species identification of the useful insect to determine the extent to which native useful insects can settle next to the introduced predatory ones. The latter process is to be facilitated by growing a flowering mixture of annual plants at one of the experimental sites, which provides adequate feeding and hiding place for beneficial insects.
The experiment was performed in one pepper forcing period. The main pest insects are: western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), tobacco thrips (Thrips tabaci).
Useful insects in the experiment: predatory mites (Amblyseius spp.) and predatory flower bugs (Orius laevigatus).