On seasonal inoculative biological control : [governing Liriomyza populations by parasitoids]

The main purpose of the research project was to develop a biological control method for the imported leafminer Liriomyza trifolii and its native relative Liriomyza bryoniae on greenhouse tomato.In addition, the project attempted to study the population dynamics of the leafminers and their parasitoids by determining the processes that lead to changes in population densities. Several factors, such as temperature and host plant quality in terms of leaf nitrogen content, were examined.Using leafminer parasitoids as a model, four criteria were examined to select parasitoids prior to their introduction in seasonal inoculative biological control. These are:Complete development and offspring quality.Generation synchrony.Population growthSearching efficiencyThese criteria were evaluated for the European leafminer parasitoids Dacnusa sibirica and Dacnusa isaea .</p