and Hosyni 2014). Neoseiulus barkeri is an indigenous and potential biological
control agent against T. tabaci on greenhouse cucumber in Iran. It successfully
developed on 1st instars larvae of T. tabaci. The intrinsic rate of increase (r m ) and
the net reproductive rate (R 0 ) of N. barkeri on T. tabaci were 0.252 day
À1 and 18.70
female offspring, respectively. This predator can prevent the outbreak of T. tabaci
(Jafari et al. 2013).
15.4.3.2 Pathogens
Entomopathogenic fungi such as Metarhizium anisopliae is an important biocontrol
agent against thrips in greenhouses. All mobile stages of thrips are susceptible to this
fungus. The results of research by Koupi et al. (2016) showed that M. anisopliae
isolate ‘DEMI002’ can be considered as a promising tool in biological control
programs of the F. occidentalis on bean in greenhouses in Iran. Biocontrol potential
of entomopathogenic nematodes includes Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) and
H. bacteriophora were investigated on F. occidentalis on the bean. The results
showed that the highest thrips mortality was obtained by using these biological
control agents at 2 Â l0
4 IJs ml
À1 with 65 and 61% thrips mortality, respectively
(Kashkouli et al. 2014).
15.4.4 Biological Control of Leaf Miners
Biological control of leaf miners is possible on many greenhouse crops. There are
few predators of leaf miners in the world and Iran, however numerous parasitoid
wasps are effective against leaf miners that they commonly found in greenhouses;
their potential for successful biological control is high on vegetable crops.
15.4.4.1 Predators
Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) and Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) (Hemiptera:
Miridae) and Nabis pseudoferus Remane (Hemiptera: Nabidae) are reported as
predators of T. absoluta on tomato (Mahdavi and Madadi 2015; Sohrabi and
Hosseini 2015; Sharifian et al. 2015). They have high predatory capacity on this
pest on tomato. The attack rate and handling time of M. pygmaeus on T. absoluta
eggs were 0.2251 h
À1 and 2.7415 h, respectively (Sharifian et al. 2015). The mean
daily feeding rate of 3rd, 4th and 5th instar nymphs, adult males and females of
N. pseudoferus on T. absoluta egg was 35.6, 51.6, 61.7, 70.2 and 63.15 and total
predation rate of the same stages were 117.95, 221.6, 381.3, 983.2 and 2510.45,
respectively. The mean daily feeding rate of the same stages by feeding on the 1st
instar larvae of T. absoluta were 23.7, 27.8, 59.6, 37.7 and 62.7. The total predation
rate was 76.85, 116.05, 304.85, 749.05 and 2217.85, respectively. It has been
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Z. Tazerouni and A. A. Talebi
control agent against T. tabaci on greenhouse cucumber in Iran. It successfully
developed on 1st instars larvae of T. tabaci. The intrinsic rate of increase (r m ) and
the net reproductive rate (R 0 ) of N. barkeri on T. tabaci were 0.252 day
À1 and 18.70
female offspring, respectively. This predator can prevent the outbreak of T. tabaci
(Jafari et al. 2013).
15.4.3.2 Pathogens
Entomopathogenic fungi such as Metarhizium anisopliae is an important biocontrol
agent against thrips in greenhouses. All mobile stages of thrips are susceptible to this
fungus. The results of research by Koupi et al. (2016) showed that M. anisopliae
isolate ‘DEMI002’ can be considered as a promising tool in biological control
programs of the F. occidentalis on bean in greenhouses in Iran. Biocontrol potential
of entomopathogenic nematodes includes Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) and
H. bacteriophora were investigated on F. occidentalis on the bean. The results
showed that the highest thrips mortality was obtained by using these biological
control agents at 2 Â l0
4 IJs ml
À1 with 65 and 61% thrips mortality, respectively
(Kashkouli et al. 2014).
15.4.4 Biological Control of Leaf Miners
Biological control of leaf miners is possible on many greenhouse crops. There are
few predators of leaf miners in the world and Iran, however numerous parasitoid
wasps are effective against leaf miners that they commonly found in greenhouses;
their potential for successful biological control is high on vegetable crops.
15.4.4.1 Predators
Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) and Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) (Hemiptera:
Miridae) and Nabis pseudoferus Remane (Hemiptera: Nabidae) are reported as
predators of T. absoluta on tomato (Mahdavi and Madadi 2015; Sohrabi and
Hosseini 2015; Sharifian et al. 2015). They have high predatory capacity on this
pest on tomato. The attack rate and handling time of M. pygmaeus on T. absoluta
eggs were 0.2251 h
À1 and 2.7415 h, respectively (Sharifian et al. 2015). The mean
daily feeding rate of 3rd, 4th and 5th instar nymphs, adult males and females of
N. pseudoferus on T. absoluta egg was 35.6, 51.6, 61.7, 70.2 and 63.15 and total
predation rate of the same stages were 117.95, 221.6, 381.3, 983.2 and 2510.45,
respectively. The mean daily feeding rate of the same stages by feeding on the 1st
instar larvae of T. absoluta were 23.7, 27.8, 59.6, 37.7 and 62.7. The total predation
rate was 76.85, 116.05, 304.85, 749.05 and 2217.85, respectively. It has been
564
Z. Tazerouni and A. A. Talebi