Orius albidipennis (Rueter) as an effective biocontrol agent against Tetranychus urticae Koch on pepper crops in greenhouse in Egypt

Abstract The present study was carried out in greenhouses, on sweet pepper crops, during the winter plantations 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 in a commercial farm located at Berkash district, Giza, Egypt. During the first season, three acariphagous biocontrol agent species, the predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) (at a rate of 2 individuals/m2), and two of predatory insect, Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner (at a rate of 1 individual/m2) and Orius albidipennis (Reuter) (at a rate of 1/2 individual adults/m2), were applied to control Tetranychus urticae. The obtained results showed that T. urticae was controlled successfully using A. swirskii and O. albidipennis. Releasing of A. swirskii and O. albidipennis caused 26 and 24% yield increases, respectively, as compared to control treatment. During the second season of 2016–2017, the efficiency of O. albidipennis at a rate of 1/2 per m2 was compared to three recommended pesticides, for controlling T. urticae. The obtained results revealed that applying O. albidipennis proved to be the most efficient control method against T. urticae on sweet pepper, with the lowest remaining pest density of T. urticae (2.9 mites/leaf); while with chemical control, the remaining density of T. urticae reached 20.13 mites/leaf at the end of the season. Thus, results demonstrated that the released insect predator, O. albidipennis, was the most effective method to control T. urticae under greenhouse conditions for two reasons. On the one hand, it resulted in a 31.36% yield increase, and on the other hand, it could reduce the chemical application, to improve food safety and environmental pollution reduction