Mealybugs and scales

wingless and immobile, and covered with a hard scale (armoured scales and soft scales) or with waxy threads (mealybugs). They suck the sap of plants and are [...] mealybugs and soft scales also produce honeydew (on which moulds grow) resulting in considerable damage in ornamental and fruit crops and loss of value [...] the crop in various ways: nymphs and females extract the sap from the plant, stunting growth and causing deformation and/or yellowing of leaves, sometimes

Biological Pest Control

a sustainable and effective long-term strategy for pest management. Additionally, as consumers and retail increasingly favour organic and environmentally [...] ecosystems and protect crops without resorting to harmful chemicals. In biological pest control, beneficial organisms like parasitic wasps and predatory [...] Biocontrol reduces the need for continuous chemical treatments. Safe for humans and pets Biocontrol methods pose no health risks to humans or domestic animals,

Fusarium spp.

causes foot and/or root rot of the infected host plant, and the disease may manifest as wilting, stunting and chlorosis or lesions on the stem and/or leaves [...] roots towards the foot of the plant and enters the vascular system. Inside the vessels, the fungus produces mycelium and many spores (microconidia), which [...] different species. Fusarium is widespread and can infect a range of host crops. Many species are considered weak pathogens and can only infect wounded or stressed

Shallot aphid

Petioles are shortened and leaves curled and twisted. Blossom trusses are also affected, fruits remain small and yield is reduced. On bulbs and shallot, the aphids [...] ing and there is no sexual stage in the life cycle. No eggs are produced. Myzus ascalonicus is cold hardy and overwinters in sheltered places and greenhouses [...] shallots, strawberries, lettuce, brassicas and potatoes and many ornamentals . The shallot aphid is cosmopolitan and widely spread in Europe. Damage symptoms

Buckthorn-potato aphid

viruses. Life cycle and appearance of Buckthorn-potato aphid Aphids have a complex life cycle, with both winged and wingless forms of adults and a great variety [...] of leaves of their summer hosts and start to reproduce parthenogenetically. Both wingless and winged forms are produced parthenogenetically. They are usually [...] found in the lower parts of the plants and are not very mobile. In autumn, winged males and females are produced, which return to the primary host buckthorn

Downy mildew of Cucurbits

stomata. Life cycle and appearance of Downy mildew Pathogens causing downy mildew are not fungi but Oomycetes and related to Pythium and Phytophthora. They [...] during propagation and maintaining a warm and dry climate in greenhouses. Use hygiene measures. Start clean, remove crop residues and prevent splashing [...] pumpkin, watermelon and squash. Damage symptoms Downy mildew pathogens infect mostly the leaves but occasionally also stems and fruits. They cause lesions

Yellow rose aphid

strawberries and roses. Life cycle and appearance of Yellow rose aphid Aphids have a complex life cycle, with both winged and wingless forms of adults and a great [...] North Africa, parts of Asia and South America. It attacks plants of the family Rosaceae and is a pest of strawberries and roses. Damage symptoms The yellow [...] viviparous females continuously producing new generation of females) and generally found only on cultivated roses and strawberries, in glasshouses in northern

Cottony soft rot

wilting and death of plants. Life cycle and appearance of Cottony soft rot Cottony soft root ( Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ) overwinters as sclerotia and mycelium [...] in dead and living plant material in or on the ground. Sclerotia germinate at temperatures between 4 and 26 °C with an optimum between 13 and 15 °C. G [...] easily be seen with the naked eye and look like rat droppings. The symptoms may occur on stems but also on leaves, fruits and pods. Root infection often leads

Mottled arum aphid

ms, Begonia and Fuchsia, and also sweet pepper. Damage symptoms Large colonies of mottled arum aphids can greatly reduce plant vigour and kill the plant [...] sis and also result in an unattractive plant with a much lower market value. Neomyzus circumflexus can also transmit plant viruses. Life cycle and appearance [...] mottled arum aphid, Neomyzus circumflexus , has a cosmopolitan distribution and a wide host range. In temperate climates it is primarily a pest in greenhouses

Beneficial microorganisms

anisopliae and Isaria fumosoroseus and the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis . Beneficial microorganisms for pest control How it works Infection and colonization: [...] biological systems and organisms. These microorganisms play a crucial role in biological pest control by effectively infecting and controlling harmful [...] for pest control include fungi, bacteria and viruses that naturally occur in environments such as soil, water, and air. These microorganisms are harnessed