Seasonal Prevalence of Orius spp. on Bitter Gourd Cultivated in an Open Field at Meiji University Ikuta Campus

Abstract

We investigated the seasonal prevalence of Orius spp. and its prey (thrips) on bitter gourd and cucumber cultivated in an open field in Kawasaki City, Japan. Adults of Orius spp. were observed on both crops soon after the occurrence of thrips. Since the thrips populations were suppressed after the settlement of Orius spp., it was indicated that Orius spp. is as a natural enemy of thrips on bitter gourd as well as cucumber plants. Adults and nymphs of Orius spp. were then maintained on both crops while suppressing the thrips populations. Recently, bitter gourd have become popular to be planted as a living wall, especially in urban sites. Therefore, it was suggested that such a living wall would provide some benefits to supply the indigenous natural enemy in conservation biological control (CBC) in urban agriculture.