The effects of wheat-pea mixed intercropping on biocontrol potential of generalist predators in a long-term experimental trial

Arthropod generalist predators can be effective natural control agents of pests and weeds in agroecosystems. Their activity and contribution to biocontrol may increase in response to more complex agricultural habitats. In this study, we investigated the effects of winter wheat-pea mixed intercropping on the biocontrol potential of generalist predators compared with the respective mono-crops. We evaluated not only the effects during the intercropping season but also the pre-crop values of the mixture for the subsequent barley crop. Furthermore, we evaluated the influence of different long-term soil organic carbon and fertility management regimes on activity and biocontrol potential of predators. Field work was conducted over two seasons in a field experiment located in Gembloux, Belgium. A set of proxies for ecosystem functions were measured using the Rapid Ecosystem Function Assessment approach. We measured attack and predation rates of sentinel prey and weed seeds artificially placed in the field. Furthermore, we assessed activity density of the main groups of generalist predators during the exposure of the baits. Our results showed that crop type affected activity and biocontrol potential of predators. Predation rates were much lower in wheat than pea and wheat-pea. The mixture wheat-pea had a positive effect on predator activity density compared to wheat mono-crop, while pea supported an intermediate activity of epigeal predators. In the second season of the field work, we found the highest biocontrol potential by predators in barley plots cultivated after pea. Finally, our results failed to find any differences in biocontrol potential of predators between long-term soil organic carbon and fertilisation management strategies. These results suggest that crop type has a major relevance in influencing the activity of generalist predators, and the mixed intercropping wheat-pea may represent a valid strategy to enhance biological pest control in comparison to wheat cultivated as mono-crop. Furthermore, we show that the cultivation of pea as mono-crop may have an important pre-crop value within the rotation increasing the provision of ecosystem services such as biocontrol.     

豆科作物间作燕麦对土壤固氮微生物丰度和群落结构的影响

利用荧光定量PCR和高通量测序的研究方法,比较了3种种植模式(燕麦单作,O;大豆/燕麦,OSO;绿豆/燕麦,OMO)对燕麦土壤固氮微生物数量和群落组成的影响.结果表明: 与大豆和绿豆间作显著改变了燕麦土壤的理化性质.燕麦土壤固氮微生物nifH基因拷贝数为每克干土1.75×10¹⁰～7.37×10¹⁰,拔节期和成熟期OSO和OMO中nifH基因拷贝数分别是O中的2.18、2.64和1.92、2.57倍,且各处理成熟期nifH基因拷贝数显著低于拔节期.样品稀释性曲线和覆盖度结果表明,各样品nifH基因测序结果可靠.与绿豆间作显著提高了燕麦土壤nifH基因的多样性.各样品固氮微生物属水平上优势类群均为Azohydromonas、固氮菌属、慢生根瘤菌属、Skermanella和在属水平上无法归类的固氮微生物,但各优势类群相对丰度存在差异.样品OTU的venn分布和主成分分析显示,拔节期和成熟期nifH基因群落结构存在差异,两个生育时期OSO和OMO具有更相似的nifH基因群落结构.表明与大豆和绿豆间作可显著提高燕麦土壤固氮微生物的数量,并影响固氮微生物的群落组成.     

越南地区柑橘黄龙病发生及防治

黄龙病是全球广泛发生的毁灭性病害,柑橘木虱为其主要媒介昆虫。越南最早于上个世纪六十年代有相关报道。通过一些国际合作项目,越南对柑橘木虱和黄龙病进行了一系列研究并积极采取措施有效防控:包括消除病株、筛选抗病虫品种、改变种植密度和时间、化学防治与生物防治、作物间种、喷施矿物油乳剂、施用有机肥、使用无病苗和无病接穗并在运输过程中封闭保护等。其中控制黑臭蚁Dolichoderus thoracicus增殖黄猄蚁Oecophylla smaragdina、交错式间种番石榴以控制柑橘木虱和黄龙病值得中国借鉴和参考。     

西北半干旱区紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作对根际土壤养分和细菌群落的影响

我国西北半干旱区土地贫瘠,土壤pH和碳酸盐含量高,容易形成盐碱地,抑制土壤微生物活性,导致土壤养分匮乏。为了改善西北干旱地区土壤健康状况,本研究通过连续3年田间试验,探讨了紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作对根际土壤养分和根际土壤细菌群落结构的影响。结果表明: 根际土壤中,间作紫花苜蓿有机质含量显著大于单作紫花苜蓿,而pH及速效钾含量显著低于单作紫花苜蓿;间作小黑麦有机质、碱解氮、有效磷及速效钾含量均显著大于单作小黑麦。细菌序列数、种群分类单元(OTU)、丰富度和多样性均表现为间作大于单作。在门水平上,变形菌门和拟杆菌门分别占总分类单元的31.1%～33.4%和22.4%～32.2%,且间作下拟杆菌门比例高于单作。放线菌门数量在单作下显著大于间作,酸杆菌门数量在小黑麦间作下显著大于单作,疣微菌门数量在紫花苜蓿间作下显著大于单作。在属水平上,噬冷菌属、黄杆菌属、Gp6和Chryseolinea数量均表现为单作大于间作,纤维弧菌属相反。相关性分析表明,变形菌门、拟杆菌门与pH呈显著负相关,拟杆菌门与有机质、全氮、碱解氮呈显著正相关;而绿弯菌门、浮霉菌、酸杆菌门、疣微菌门和芽单胞菌门与有机质和碱解氮呈显著负相关。紫花苜蓿-小黑麦间作是改善西北半干旱区土壤的一种有效措施。     

The role of maize-legumes-cassava intercropping in the management of maize ear borers with special reference to Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The effects of intercropping maize with cowpea, lima bean, soybean, three leguminous cover crops (Tephrosia vogelii Hook F., Canavalia ensiformis L., Sesbania rostrata Bremek. & Oberm.) and cassava on the infestation of Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and other lepidopteran ear borers were studied. Field experiments were conducted in four locations in Benin using a 4x2 pattern of maize-legumes or maize-cassava planting. Intercropping reduced the number of eggs (by >25%) and larvae (by 17.9–53%) of M. nigrivenella compared with the monocrop. Maize-C. ensiformis and maize-T. vogelii proved to be the most effective combinations for reducing M. nigrivenella populations in the different locations. Grain loss and ear damage, which were significantly correlated with the number of insects in the ear, were significantly affected by the intercrops, with losses abated by 47–84% in the four sites. No parasitized larvae were found in any of the locations.     

Feasibility of growing Moringa oleifera as a mix-crop along with tomato for control of Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis in Egypt

Impact of nematicidal potential of drumstick, Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae), as a medicinal plant (1–4 plants per pot) is obtained when it is used as a mix-crop along with tomato cv. Super Strain B against Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis was evaluated under a greenhouse conditions (30?±?5?°C) at the National Research Centre, Egypt. The nematodes final population and their rate of build-up as well as the root gall index were significantly affected by the number of moringa plants when grown with tomato together. There was a negative correlation between the number of moringa seedlings and the final population of both nematodes. The lowest nematode final population and rate of build-up were determined at the highest number of moringa plants (four plants per pot). The highest number of root gall index (4.1) was found on roots of tomato grown alone, while, the lowest one (0.6) was found on roots of tomato grown with four plants of moringa. This type of control is considered easy, inexpensive and pollution-free.     

Can cruciferous agroecosystems grown under variable conditions influence biological control of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)?

Determining the most efficacious method for the release of parasitoids is challenging, depending on the crop area to be covered and the environmental conditions created by the agroecosystem. Release of the parasitoid Oomyzus sokolowskii (Kurdjumov) and the effect of crucifers cropping systems were investigated in relation to diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) control. First, we investigated the dispersal ability of O. sokolowskii. Kale plants were infested with 20, 25, 30 and 35 DBM larvae each, at distances of 0, 8, 16, and 24 m, from a central release point in the field. Second, the effect of a multiple host plant system composed of cabbage, broccoli and Napa cabbage on the parasitism capacity of O. sokolowskii was investigated. Lastly, the parasitism capacity of O. sokolowskii and the colonization rate of DBM were investigated comparing cropping systems composed of either a monoculture of cabbage, or three different intercropping systems: cabbage and green onion, cabbage and cilantro, and cabbage, green onion and cilantro. For all experiments, selected plants were infested with sentinel DBM larvae and caged with mesh that allowed parasitoids to search inside the cages while reducing the impact of opportunists on DBM larvae. Results showed that parasitoids were able to disperse and parasitize P. xylostella at similar rates throughout a field of kale up to 24 m from the release point. Intercropping of cabbages with other crop plants did not negatively affect parasitism rates of O. sokolowskii, which makes it promising for DBM biological control; however it did not interfere with cabbage colonization by DBM.     

The role of VAM fungi in nitrogen dynamics in maize-bean intercrops

Nitrogen (N) transfer from N-fixing legumes via vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi to associated non-fixing plants has been demonstrated in greenhouse experiments. To date, this transfer has been shown only where mineral N is applied shortly before harvest, and hence is readily available. We have yet to demonstrate VAM-mediated N transfer where soil-N is limiting, a condition under which most traditional legume-nonlegume intercrops are grown.In this study, ¹⁵N-enriched soil (with 0.28%N) was used to distinguish between the uptake of soil- and atmospherically-derived N in maize grown with beans in the presence or absence of VAM fungi. VAM infection did not result in transfer of fixed N or soil N from bean to maize, despite a VAM-stimulated increase in N fixation in bean. In fact, beans were more competitive for soil N when mycorrhizal. N content in beans increased by 75% with a concomitant 22% decrease in mg N per maize plant. The competitive effect may have resulted from a VAM-mediated shift in carbon allocation in beans (but not maize) from shoots to roots.