Banker Plants for Aphid Biological Control in Greenhouses

Banker plants are mobile habitats that provide alternative hosts, prey, or food for commercially available natural enemies. As a biological control strategy, banker plants offer a novel nonchemical approach to managing commonly encountered pests in the greenhouse. Most banker plants that target aphids consist of a graminaceous plant, a nonpest cereal grain aphid, and a parasitoid that attacks both the nonpest and pest aphids occurring on crop plants. The use of banker plants may provide more effective, long-term pest control than pesticide applications, but both may be combined effectively. The following paper is a brief review of the history of biological control in enclosed environments, pesticides compatible with natural enemies, the use of various species of banker plants, and specifically the Aphidius colemani (Viereck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)--Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) system to manage aphid pests. Key words: Aphidius colemani, Myzus persicae, Rhopalosiphum padi, horticultural entomology