Soilless production in a low cost polyethylene greenhouse is a feasible way of growing vegetable crops worldwide. Countries such as China, Japan, Spain, Italy, Israel, Canada, United States, and others, use plastic greenhouses and high tunnels for production of high-value vegetables. In Florida, the most important greenhouse crops grown under protected structures are pepper, cucumber, tomato, herbs, and lettuce. Strawberry is emerging as a potential greenhouse crop. Foreign greenhouse growers produce high-value vegetables that compete with USA field vegetable production, thus Floridian producers must develop new cost effective technology in order to increase their competitiveness. Vegetables are a high value commodity that may require large inputs of chemicals, including insecticides and miticides; however, only a few pesticides are registered for vegetables greenhouse use. Pest management problems are some of the factors that increase cost of production. Some of the main greenhouse pests are aphids, two-spotted spider mite, thrips, and whiteflies. Through early identification of pest problems, targeted reared organisms can be used for control. The Florida/Israeli Protected Agriculture Project is seeking the implementation of biological tactics as part of an integrated pest management program in vegetable crops, including application to new crops such as Beit alpha cucumber and the Galia muskmelon. Preliminary results using biological control have indicated that farmers may have a viable alternative of pest control besides the use of chemicals and resistant varieties.
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