Aphid suppression by natural enemies in mulched cereals

By Martin Schmidt, Ulrich Thewes, Carsten Thies, T. Tscharntke. 2004

134 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Large populations of natural enemies are the basis for natural pest control. Effects of mulch on predator–prey interactions in arable fields are poorly known, despite its potential to enhance ground‐dwelling predators and thereby reduce pest infestations. We studied the densities of predators and parasitoids, and their impact on cereal aphids in the presence and absence of mulch. Released populations of the bird cherry aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Homoptera: Aphididae), and two naturally occurring aphid species, were monitored under experimentally reduced densities of: (i) ground‐dwelling predators, (ii) flying predators and parasitoids, and (iii) with straw mulch. The three treatments were applied in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design in a field of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The exclusion of ground‐dwelling predators increased aphid populations by 55% in June and 40% in July, respectively. Mulched plots had 25% lower aphid densities in June. This was presumably due to enhanced densities of spiders (Araneida) in mulched plots. The exclusion of flying predators and parasitoids led to 94% higher aphid populations in late July (109 vs. 56 individuals per 100 shoots), irrespective of mulch or ground predator manipulation. This was attributed to the larvae of gall midges Aphidoletes cf. aphidimyza (Rondani) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae). The results indicate that a scarcity of predators and a bare soil surface renders crops more susceptible to arthropod pests. Farming schemes should aim at enhancing both ground‐dwelling and flying predators for elevated levels of natural pest control.

Subfields: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Insect Science, Plant Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/25a16f6178b0e3cf4bf3c61206cadf72ed7c50ac

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

In Insect Science

In Plant Science

Citations in the corpus

Predicting the effects of climate change on natural enemies of agricultural pests (2010, background): “There are potential benefits of vegetated areas for pest control because these areas can support a high abundance and diversity of predators and parasitoids (Gurr et al., 2003; Schmidt et al., 2004b; Olson and Wäckers, 2007) (5F in Fig.”
Endophytes vs tree pathogens and pests: can they be used as biological control agents to improve tree health? (2019, background): “To control and counter this, aphid predators, including ladybird larvae, lacewings and gall midges as well as adult spiders, carabids (Carabidae) and rove beetles (Staphylinidae) are used in integrated pest management strategies (Evans 2009; Gardiner & Landis 2007;Messelink et al. 2013; Schmidt et a”
Ecology of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae in temperate agroecosystems: Potential for conservation biological control (2007, background): “Reducing the area of bare ground between the crop plants by mulching may reduce the population sizes of pests by enhancing conditions for ground dwelling predators (Hellqvist, 1996; Schmidt et al., 2004).”
Efficacy and economics of shelter habitats for conservation biological control (2008, background): “For example, at the semi-field and field level numerous studies have shown that fungal pathogens, aphid specific predators, parasitoids and polyphagous predators can considerably reduce peak aphid numbers and/or yield loss (Chambers et al., 1986; Ostman et al., 2003; Schmidt et al., 2004; Winder et ”
Agroecosystem management and biotic interactions: a review (2011, background): “Several studies have shown that the accumulation of organic matter at the soil surface almost always leads to an increase in the diversity of generalist predators (ground beetles, spiders and rove beetles; Hanna et al. 2003; Mathews et al. 2004; Schmidt et al. 2004; Pullaro et al. 2006).”