Use of biological control against arthropod pests in Canadian greenhouse crop production

Abstract

Greenhouse horticultural production currently represents an important and growing sector of Canada's food and plant production systems. Since 2006, the value of greenhouse vegetable crops in Canada exceeds that of field grown crops, signaling an important shift in the way food is cultivated in the country. While many factors have contributed to this change, a major area of innovation includes the discoveries and advances made in the development of commercial greenhouse production systems as well as the integration of biological control strategies for sustainable pest management. With this focus, this review offers a brief overview of the Canadian greenhouse industry, including a descriptive list of commonly used biological control organisms, as well as the role Canadian research has played in the development of these agents. We also address the threats that Canadian greenhouse producers face by invasive pests and the complications these have created for the commercialization of novel biological control agents. This information may serve as a guide for the development of parallel technologies and tools in other parts of the world where greenhouse production is expanding.