Providing Alternative Hosts and Nectar to Aphid Parasitoids in a Plum Orchard to Determine Resource Complementarity and Distance Range Effect on Biological Control

Agronomy

Manuel Plantegenest¹  Bruno Jaloux²  Louise Lérault²  Nuri Cabrera³  Blas Lavandero³  Elsa Clavel³  Cinthya M. Villegas³ 

[1] IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Rennes, 35000 Rennes, France;IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Rennes, 49045 Angers, France;Laboratorio de Control Biológico, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3465548, Chile;

关键词: orchard intercropping;    alternative hosts;    extrafloral nectar;   

DOI  :  10.3390/agronomy12010077

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

There are many different practices that contribute to conservation biological control, but little is known about their complementarity. We tested the effects of providing food and alternative hosts to parasitoids by intercropping a plum orchard with companion plants. Oats and vetch were intercropped into the orchard either as single-species (oats or vetch) or two-species (oats and vetch combined) intercrops within an inter-row. The trophic resources provided by these intercrops were assessed, along with the incidences of aphids and their parasitoids in plum trees. We found up to ten alternative host species provided by oats and vetch, and extrafloral nectar was available from the vetch and mixed strips. An effect of intercrop type and distance to plum trees was observed on aphid incidence during one sampling period. Parasitism rates in exclusion cages were affected by intercrop type, reaching almost 60% close to the mixed intercrop. However, no general tendency was observed upon whether oats, vetch or their mixture was associated with a lower incidence of aphids. We found no evidence that providing effective sources of food and alternative hosts for parasitoids increased aphid mortality in this study. The context-dependent efficiency of intercropping is discussed.

【 授权许可】

Unknown