A combination of cultural, biological and conventional chemical control measures will provide the best approach for controlling mite infestations, as part of an integrated pest management programme.
The adoption of a range of cultural control measures will help to minimise potential pest pressure on crops and reduce the need for any regular intervention.
- Always start with clean propagating material and do not take cuttings from any infested mother plants
- Inspect any plant deliveries in a quarantined area and reject or isolate any infested batches of plants
- Sweep up plant debris and use a recommended biocide between crops
- Remove weeds from both cropping and non-cropping areas, as these can act as alternative hosts for many pest species, and maintain weed control during the season. Salix and willowherb are particularly susceptible to attack from two-spotted spider mite
- Promptly and carefully dispose of any crop debris, unmarketable plants and weeds. Place into sealed bags or covered containers, sited as far away from production areas as possible, before disposal.
There is a wide range of commercially available predators for use in biological control programmes that are either recommended for the control of pest mite species or will contribute to the control of pest mites when used for the control of other pests, such as thrips. Some of these predators can also occur naturally, particularly if using integrated pest management (IPM) with very limited application of plant protection products.
Choice, combinations, timings and rates of release within an IPM programme should be planned carefully. If necessary, seek advice from the supplier or a specialist IPM consultant. All biological control agents should be released as soon as possible after delivery. If storage is necessary for a short time, keep them in a cool place, out of direct sunlight and avoid any sudden temperature changes, such as refrigeration.
When using an integrated pest management programme, there may be a requirement to use a plant protection product if the mite population grows too rapidly for the predator(s) to control, or if there is a sudden outbreak of the pest mite and an infestation ‘hot spot’ occurs. Products may also be needed at the end of the season as a clean-up measure to reduce the population of spider mites carrying over to next season.
Plant protection products should be selected and their application timed carefully, using the least harmful and persistent products where possible. Applications should be planned according to product-label recommendations, life stages of the pest mite controlled, permitted frequency and number of applications and resistance management guidelines.
Reference: https://horticulture.ahdb.org.uk/
