Biological control

Project Goals

  1. Improve biocontrol of lygus bug in strawberries through use of vacuumed alfalfa trap crops
  2. Identify important predators of lygus bugs  by analyzing gut contents of generalist predators found in strawberry fields;
  3. Improve biocontrol of cabbage aphid in Brassica crops by assessing the ability of syrphid fly larvae to suppress cabbage aphid in broccoli production.  Identify which species of syrphid are responsible for aphid control.
  4. Examine relationship between fertility and incidence of cabbage aphid in Brassica crops.
  5. Assess parasitism rates of  diamondback moths in the Central Coast region.