scholarly journals Soil organisms associated to the weed suppressant Crotalaria juncea (fabaceae) and its importance as a refuge for natural enemies

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.S Tavares ◽  
I Cruz ◽  
R.B Silva ◽  
M.L.C Figueiredo ◽  
F.S Ramalho ◽  
...  

Soil organisms play an important role in organic crops of Crotalaria juncea (Fabaceae) and are associated with the natural conservation of the environment. The present study was aimed to investigate the population of soil organisms in the organic culture of C. juncea, as well as its importance as a refuge for natural enemies. Dalbulus maidis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Diabrotica sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Doru luteipes (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), Gryllus assimilis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), Lagria villosa (Coleoptera: Lagriidae), Melanotus sp. (Coleoptera: Elateridae), Meloidogyne incognita (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae), Nephila clavipes (Araneae: Nephilidae), Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), Pheidole sp. (Hymenoptera: Myrmicidae), Phyllophaga sp. (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae), Procornitermes sp. (Isoptera: Termitidae), Solenopsis sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and Utetheisa ornatrix (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) were identified in C. juncea. The organisms that were found during a 3-month period in 144 trenches in C. juncea were pest species (84.47%) and natural enemies (15.53%) as well. Natural enemies had an average of 11.89 individuals per 1.08 m³ of soil cultivated with C. juncea. The abundance of organisms in the pod stage (5.49%) of C. juncea was lower than that in the vegetative (83.50%) and flowering (11.01%) stages. Crotalaria juncea plants can be used as part of a crop system for Integrated Pest Management.

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne C. Holloway ◽  
Michael J. Furlong ◽  
Philip I. Bowden

Beneficial invertebrates (predators and parasitoids) can make significant contributions to the suppression of insect pest populations in many cropping systems. In Australia, natural enemies are incorporated into integrated pest management programs in cotton and horticultural agroecosystems. They are also often key components of effective programs for the management of insect pests of grain crops in other parts of the world. However, few studies have examined the contribution of endemic natural enemies to insect pest suppression in the diverse grain agroecosystems of Australia. The potential of these organisms is assessed by reviewing the role that natural enemies play in the suppression of the major pests of Australian grain crops when they occur in overseas grain systems or other local agroecosystems. The principal methods by which the efficacy of biological control agents may be enhanced are examined and possible methods to determine the impact of natural enemies on key insect pest species are described. The financial and environmental benefits of practices that encourage the establishment and improve the efficacy of natural enemies are considered and the constraints to adoption of these practices by the Australian grains industry are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hosam M. K. H. El-Gepaly

AbstractSorghum panicles offer a very rich microenvironment for many insect pest species and their natural enemies. Thirty arthropod species belonging to 28 families, pertaining to 9 orders were obtained from sorghum panicles planted in Sohag Governorate, Egypt, during the 3 successive seasons of 2016–2018. Out of these species were 14 pests, 16 predators, and 3 parasitoids. Lepidopteran and hemipteran pests were the most dominant species-infested sorghum-panicles during the mature stages of the panicles. Three microlepidopteran pests, the noctuid, Eublemma (Autoba) gayneri (Roth.); the pyralid, Cryptoblabes gnidiella Millière, and the cosmopterigid, Pyroderces simplex Walsingham, were recorded as major pest species infesting sorghum panicles in Sohag Governorate. The dipteran parasitoid species, Nemorilla floralis (Fallen) (Tachinidae) emerged from the pupae of the E. gayneri and C. gnidiella, while the hymenopteran parasitoid, Brachymeria aegyptiaca (Chalcididae) was obtained from the pupae of all the studied microlepidopteran pests. Spiders, coccinellids, and Orius spp. were the dominant predators collected form panicles. Post-harvest, larvae, and pupae of lepidopteran pests, especially P. simplex recorded (147, 96, and 79 larvae) and (47, 30, and 73 pupae)/10 panicles in 2016, 2017, and 2018 seasons, respectively.


Author(s):  
Veronica Hederström ◽  
Franklin N. Nyabuga ◽  
Olle Anderbrant ◽  
Glenn P. Svensson ◽  
Maj Rundlöf ◽  
...  

AbstractYield loss caused by insect pests remains a substantial problem in agriculture. Chemical control, with potential negative effects on non-target organisms, is still the main tool for pest management. For pest species with limited dispersal capacity, rotation of the crop in time and space has potential as an alternative management measure. This is particularly important in organic farming, where most agrochemicals are prohibited, but also relevant as a complementary pest management strategy in conventional agriculture. Clover is an important crop used for animal feed and as green manure; however, seed-eating weevils can severely limit the seed yield. We hypothesized that the previous year’s clover seed fields constitute the major sources of weevil pests. Consequently, a greater distance to, and a smaller pest load from, this source should reduce the number of weevils colonizing the new seed fields. To map population dynamics and dispersal range of Protapion fulvipes, an economically important seed weevil specialized on white clover, we conducted field studies over four years in 45 white clover seed fields. We found that P. fulvipes overwinters close to its source field and disperses to new fields in early spring the following year. Pest abundance increased with pest load in the previous year’s seed field, but decreased by 68% per km distance to the previous year’s field. Thus, separation of seed production fields between years by 2–3 km would create a spatiotemporal pest management tool to reduce the pest infestation below the estimated economic injury level.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 74
Author(s):  
Xiao-wei Li ◽  
Xin-xin Lu ◽  
Zhi-jun Zhang ◽  
Jun Huang ◽  
Jin-ming Zhang ◽  
...  

Intercropping of aromatic plants provides an environmentally benign route to reducing pest damage in agroecosystems. However, the effect of intercropping on natural enemies, another element which may be vital to the success of an integrated pest management approach, varies in different intercropping systems. Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae), has been reported to be repellent to many insect species. In this study, the impact of sweet pepper/rosemary intercropping on pest population suppression was evaluated under greenhouse conditions and the effect of rosemary intercropping on natural enemy population dynamics was investigated. The results showed that intercropping rosemary with sweet pepper significantly reduced the population densities of three major pest species on sweet pepper, Frankliniella intonsa, Myzus persicae, and Bemisia tabaci, but did not affect the population densities of their natural enemies, the predatory bug, Orius sauteri, or parasitoid, Encarsia formosa. Significant pest population suppression with no adverse effect on released natural enemy populations in the sweet pepper/rosemary intercropping system suggests this could be an approach for integrated pest management of greenhouse-cultivated sweet pepper. Our results highlight the potential of the integration of alternative pest control strategies to optimize sustainable pest control.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 239
Author(s):  
Davide Scaccini ◽  
Enrico Ruzzier ◽  
Kent M. Daane

Grape cultivation is a billion-dollar agricultural sector in California, where invasive or novel pest species can disrupt management practices. We report herein on a new pest associated with California vineyards, the carpentermoth Givira ethela (Neumoegen and Dyar, 1893). Rather than an invasive species, G. ethela appears to be a newly recognized wood-boring pest of Vitis vinifera (L.) in regions of California’s Central Valley, where its initial occurrence has been dated back to, at least, the beginning of the 2000s. The habitus of adult, genitalia and pupa is illustrated. Givira ethela distribution in California is updated including published records and new data. Carpentermoth galleries seem to facilitate the access of Planococcus ficus Signoret, 1875 to vine sap and protection from natural enemies, environmental stresses, and pesticide treatments. Notes on pest status, life history, monitoring practices, natural enemies, and management options on grapes are also discussed. Tools for the Integrated Pest Management of G. ethela should include the correct identification of the insect and its damage, a full understanding of its biology and ecology, the application of monitoring methods, and the identification of economic thresholds and injury levels.


Insects ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shovon Chandra Sarkar ◽  
Endong Wang ◽  
Shengyong Wu ◽  
Zhongren Lei

Companion planting is a well-known strategy to manage insect pests and support a natural enemy population through vegetative diversification. Trap cropping is one such type of special companion planting strategy that is traditionally used for insect pest management through vegetative diversification used to attract insect pests away from the main crops during a critical time period by providing them an alternative preferred choice. Trap crops not only attract the insects for feeding and oviposition, but also act as a sink for any pathogen that may be a vector. Considerable research has been conducted on different trap crops as companion plant species to develop improved pest management strategies. Despite this, little consensus exists regarding optimal trap cropping systems for diverse pest management situations. An advantage of trap cropping over an artificially released natural enemy-based biological control could be an attractive remedy for natural enemies in cropping systems. Besides, many trap crop species can conserve natural enemies. This secondary effect of attracting natural enemies may be an advantage compared to the conventional means of pest control. However, this additional consideration requires a more knowledge-intensive background to designing an effective trap cropping system. We have provided information based on different trap crops as companion plant, their functions and an updated list of trap cropping applications to attract insect pests and natural enemies that should be proven as helpful in future trap cropping endeavors.


2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 459-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Costa ◽  
W.S. Tavares ◽  
A.I.A. Pereira ◽  
I. Cruz ◽  
J.E. Serrão ◽  
...  

Chrysoperla externa (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) larvae can avoid foraging on plants of Crotalaria juncea (Fabaceae) after the issuance of floral buds, when the prey of Utetheisa ornatrix (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) incorporate toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from this plant. This reduces the predation and favors increasing the number of adults and eggs of this defoliator on crops of this plant. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate some biological and ecological aspects of C. externa and U. ornatrix on the organic crop of C. juncea in the EMBRAPA Maize and Sorghum in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Chrysoperla externa and U. ornatrix were more abundant in the vegetative and flowering stages of C. juncea, respectively, with caterpillars of this defoliator feeding on leaves and seeds of this plant. The duration of the stages/instars, survival, lifetime fecundity, and oviposition showed that the branches of C. juncea are a suitable food for U. ornatrix. The abundance of adults and larvae of C. externa was lower in the flowering and pods stages of C. juncea, respectively, when the postures of U. ornatrix are present, probably due to the toxicity of the eggs of this prey to this predator. During these stages, C. externa may be reared with alternative hosts, and when the crops of C. juncea are scarce, an artificial diet should be used for rearing this defoliator in the laboratory for biological research and the development of biological control tactics.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 236 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Selvaraj ◽  
R. Sundararaj ◽  
T. Venkatesan ◽  
Chandish R. Ballal ◽  
S. K. Jalali ◽  
...  

A invasive rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) <em>Aleurodicus rugioperculatus</em> Martin (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was found infesting coconut, banana, custard apple and several ornamental plants in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala for the first time in India. The identity of the pest species was determined through morphological and molecular tools. Furthermore cytochrome c oxidase-I gene (658 bp) of RSW was sequenced (GenBank accession number KY209909) which would serve as an ideal molecular diagnostic marker for its identification irrespective of its phenotypic plasticity. During the survey, several natural enemies were recorded and maximum parasitism was recorded by <em>Encarsia guadeloupae</em> Viggiani (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and its COI gene was sequenced and deposited as <em>Encarsia</em> sp. (GenBank accession number KY223606). Per cent parasitism ranged from 20.0 to 60.0 % in different collection locations, highest parasitism being recorded in Kerala as compared to other states. The predators recorded were <em>Mallada</em> sp., few coccinellids and predatory mites. This communication is the first report of the rugose spiraling whitefly, its host plant range and associated natural enemies in India.


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