E-Journal of Entomology and Biologicals

Fungi such as Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea, Metarhizium brunneum are pathogenic to mites and insects and are primarily used for pest management. Some of these are known to endophytically colonize plants and offer protection against arthropod pests feeding on those plants.

New UC short-day variety Benicia (Photo by Surendra Dara) Different species of spider mites attack strawberry plants. Spider mites feed on the underside of the leaves, scrape the tissue, and suck the plant juices.

Dead and dying strawberry plants with pallidosis-related decline in Santa Maria. Photo by Surendra Dara Pallidosis-related decline or pallidosis disease of strawberries is a viral disease that appeared in several fields in the Santa Maria area early this year.

Bagrada bug nymph on a dried mustard plant. Photo by Surendra Dara Compared to the number of queries I received last year, it has been fairly quiet about the Bagrada bug infestations.

Greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) is the predominant species of whiteflies on strawberries in the Central Coast. What used to be a pest causing yield loss through direct damage has now emerged as a vector of a devastating viral disease called pallidosis-related decline of strawberries.