New Zealand: New study on use of Tamarixia in glasshouses
There is a belief that Tamarixia may not be useful in a glasshouse situation because biological control requires a base level population of the pest for sustenance, and growers have a “zero tolerance” for TPP. Additionally there is the fear of introducing a Liberibacter infection, vectored by the TPP.
However, the Lincoln research group believe that Tamarixia could reduce pest numbers by 99.9%. There is also some recent NZ research showing that almost all wild TPP are not carrying Liberibacter, but instead the bacteria load increases following its colonisation of crops. The post-doctoral study will look at whether Tamarixia can achieve and maintain low populations of TPP in the glasshouse, and the impact on Liberibacter presence.
Source: TomatoesNZ