Selective flowers to enhance biological control of cabbage pests by parasitoids |
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Authors: | Céline E. Géneau Felix L. Wäckers Henryk Luka Claudia Daniel Oliver Balmer |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Plant Protection and Biodiversity, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), CH-5070 Frick, Switzerland;2. Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LAI 4YQ, UK;3. Biobest, Ilse Velden 18, Westerlo, Belgium;4. University of Basel, Department of Environmental Sciences, Institute of Biogeography, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 10, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland;5. Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, CH-4051 Basel, Switzerland;6. University of Basel, Zoological Institute, Vesalgasse 1, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland;1. Department of Entomology, 288 Farm Lane, Room 243, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;2. USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory, 1503 South Providence Road, Research Park, Columbia, MO 65203, USA;3. Department of Horticulture, A288 Plant and Soil Science Bldg., Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;1. Barbara Hardy Institute, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia;2. Bio-Protection Research Centre, P.O. Box 84, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand;3. Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7044, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;4. EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, Faculty of Science, School of Agricultural & Wine Sciences, Leeds Parade, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia;5. Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 84, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, New Zealand;1. State Key Laboratory Breeding Base for Zhejiang Sustainable Pest and Disease Control, Institute for Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China;2. E.H. Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University), P.O. Box 883, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia;3. Crop and Environmental Sciences Division, International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines;4. Jinhua Plant Protection Station, Jinhua 321017, China;1. Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1349 IGEPP, F-49000 Angers, France;2. LUNAM Université, France |
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Abstract: | Habitat management is an important element in sustainable agriculture and can be used to maximize a range of ecosystem services that support crop production. An important example of such ecosystem services is biological control of pests which can be enhanced by providing arthropod natural enemies with suitable floral resources. The potential risk of this approach, however, is that flowering plants may enhance the fitness of the targeted pests as well. We conducted experiments to identify selective plant species that would improve the longevity and parasitization rate of the parasitoid wasp Microplitis mediator without benefiting its host pest, the cabbage moth Mamestra brassicae. Effects on longevity were also assessed for Diadegma fenestrale, a generalist parasitoid wasp attacking lepidopteran pests. Additionally, we compared the effects of floral and extrafloral nectar, the latter being formed in some plant species and can significantly prolong the duration of nectar availability for natural enemies. Longevity of M. mediator and D. fenestrale as well as parasitization rates of M. mediator were significantly increased by the presence of Fagopyrum esculentum (floral nectar), Centaurea cyanus (floral and extrafloral nectar) and non-flowering Vicia sativa (extrafloral nectar). M. mediator parasitized 202.3 ± 29.7 M. brassicae larvae during its lifetime when presented F. esculentum, compared to 14.4 ± 3.4 larvae in the absence of floral resources. Extrafloral nectar of C. cyanus and V. sativa was as suitable for M. mediator as floral nectar and significantly increased longevity and parasitization rates. Longevity and fecundity of M. brassicae were not supported by the plant species tested. These results stress the importance of plant screening to achieve plant selectivity and to maximize biological control. F. esculentum, C. cyanus and V. sativa are recommended as selective plant species to enhance parasitoids of M. brassicae. |
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