Research-potential versus Field-applied Success and Use of Augmented Natural Enemies in North American Field Crops

The effectiveness of augmentation programs varies depending on natural enemy species released, targeted pest, and release environment. For example, open-fields, row crops, and orchards present a more difficult environment for successful natural enemy release than protected environments, such as glasshouses. Released natural enemies may disperse from the target site, perform poorly at ambient temperatures, or fall prey to resident predators. Successful programs consider characteristics of the released natural enemy, the target pest, and the release environment before developing commercial release programs. Too often, matching the natural enemy to the target pest and environment is overlooked. To illustrate the impact of natural enemy biology on the success (or failure) of an augmentation program, we present results from research on augmentation programs for the vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret), obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana Harris, and variegated leafhopper, Erythroneura variabilis Beamer.