Can biocontrol be the game-changer in integrated pest management? A review of definitions, methods and strategies

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 131(2), P. 265 - 291

Published: Feb. 23, 2024

Abstract Global agriculture is heavily dependent on sustainable plant protection. Worldwide, the concept of integrated pest management (IPM) being followed. IPM utilizes a range strategies, with chemical synthetic pesticides employed only as last resort. However, in agricultural practice, farmers continue to rely primarily this option. To further reduce dependence, new strategies are sought strengthen use biological control within approach including identification novel non-synthetic natural compounds. Here, we discuss and report state art research areas such biocontrol agents application ecological principles. These practices can help establish protection systems, greatest impact achieved when they used appropriate combinations. We highlight conditions that currently prevent or hinder increased measures. On background agroecological experiences, why additional advancements imperative more effectively break life cycles pests, diseases weeds. emphasize significance judicious technologies, adapted local conditions. Additionally, key role expertise operators implementing these their knowledge thereof.

Language: Английский

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Securing Nature’s Contributions to People requires at least 20%–25% (semi-)natural habitat in human-modified landscapes

One Earth, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1), P. 59 - 71

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

The cascading effects of biodiversity decline on human well-being present a pressing challenge for sustainable development. Conservation efforts often prioritize safeguarding specific species, habitats, or intact ecosystems but overlook biodiversity's fundamental role in providing Nature's Contributions to People (NCP) human-modified landscapes. Here, we systematically review 154 peer-reviewed studies estimate the minimum levels (semi-)natural habitat quantity, quality, and spatial configuration needed landscapes secure functional integrity essential sustaining NCP provision. We find that provision multiple is threatened when landscape falls below an area 20%–25% each km2. Five almost completely disappear level 10% habitat. exact required depends local context NCP. Today, about two-thirds lands have insufficient habitat, requiring action regeneration. Our findings serve as generic guideline target conservation actions outside natural areas.

Language: Английский

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Different types of semi‐natural habitat are required to sustain diverse wild bee communities across agricultural landscapes

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 59(10), P. 2604 - 2615

Published: Aug. 2, 2022

Abstract Semi‐natural habitats provide important resources for wild bees in agricultural landscapes. Landscapes under management are dynamic and floral fluctuate space time. Thus, promoting different semi‐natural habitat types within landscapes could be key to support diverse bee meta‐communities throughout the season. Here, we integrate analyses of α‐diversity (species richness) β‐diversity species‐habitat networks examine relative contribution all major We sampled extensively conventionally managed meadows, flower strips, hedgerows forest edges spring, early late summer 25 Switzerland. Habitat varied their importance season: While meadows supported more rare species, specialists species overall than other types, strips were most later Each five investigated harboured relatively unique sets with generally acting as distinct modules bee‐habitat network. Not only richness a per se, but also flower‐habitat network properties (habitat strength functional complementarity) good predictors richness. In addition local richness, landscape composition configuration interactively influenced patterns across habitats. Synthesis applications . Our study highlights value pollinator‐habitat analysis inform pollinator conservation at scale, especially when combined information on networks. Maintaining offers complementary season, which crucial sustain Particularly meadow extensification schemes can play role safeguarding specialist these locally high promoted abundance general, our results indicate that increasing connectivity between patches dominated by arable crops appears improve exchange communities habitats, thereby possibly resilience disturbances.

Language: Английский

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People, Crops, and Bee Farming: Landscape Models for a Symbiotic Network in Greece

Land, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12(2), P. 430 - 430

Published: Feb. 7, 2023

Despite the rising awareness of mutual benefits pollination, agricultural production, and biodiversity, Greek planning has scarcely moved toward patterns pollinator-friendly farm design models. This paper presents data from preliminary research analysis that defined generic landscape models can enhance symbiotic associations between farming production beekeeping in Greece. The main objective is to determine tailor-made contribute a portfolio actions easily apprehensible by non-technical audiences sector who want introduce biodiversity enhancements monoculture farming, fostering safer, poisonous-free environment for introduced honeybees, simultaneously helping augment their yields. A study was conducted four estates Thessaly Peloponnese involving apple citrus orchards, hemp cultivation. It combined assessment land cover classes with regard provision foraging habitat, suitability, description connectivity characteristics, emerging spatial natural corridors, patches, edges at an observation perimeter around each farm. Assessment these informed planting enrichment integration such as meadows shrub corridors. Pilot installations hives areas characteristics presented resulted 8% 12% bigger fruits 30% 50% increase total yield. We conclude enhancement are important attribute ecosystem services require understanding specific geographical parameters render operational bee pollination.

Language: Английский

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Recent advances in agroecological research for increasing scope of areawide pest management of arthropods in cropping systems

Current Opinion in Insect Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 56, P. 101019 - 101019

Published: March 2, 2023

Language: Английский

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Pollinator nutrition and its role in merging the dual objectives of pollinator health and optimal crop production

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 377(1853)

Published: May 2, 2022

Bee and non-bee insect pollinators play an integral role in the quantity quality of production for many food crops, yet there is growing evidence that nutritional challenges to agricultural landscapes are important factor reduction pollinator populations worldwide. Schemes enhance crop health have historically focused on floral resource plantings aimed at increasing abundance diversity by providing more foraging opportunities bees. These efforts demonstrated improvements bee achievable; however, goals pollination outcomes via these interventions not consistently met. To support tandem, habitat enhancements must be tailored meet life-history needs specific pollinators, including non-bees. This will require greater understanding demands taxa together with supply non-floral resources how interact cropping environments. Understanding mechanisms underlying unison across a range clearly win–win industry conservation, achievement new knowledge novel, targeted methods. article part theme issue ‘Natural processes influencing health: from chemistry landscapes’.

Language: Английский

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Landscape-wide floral resource deficit enhances the importance of diverse wildflower plantings for pollinators in farmlands

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 367, P. 108984 - 108984

Published: March 29, 2024

Pollinators are declining rapidly, largely due to land conversion and intensification of agriculture. To mitigate their crisis, low-disturbance habitats, such as sown wildflower plantings, could promote pollinators by restoration resources. However, comprehensive knowledge is lacking on how landscape context, spatial configuration age seasonality flower composition affect pollinator communities, especially from East-Central Europe. understand these effects, we established diverse native plantings within heterogeneous homogeneous agricultural landscapes, two configurations: one large field or three smaller strips, in Hungary. We sampled floral resources wild insects (wild bees, hoverflies, butterflies), early mid-summer, for years after establishment. Flower the plant species increased continuously, were complemented at high rate flowering soil seed bank, first year. Both abundance diversity pollinators, highlighting important role using mixtures. Wild bee richness year season season, while butterfly also demonstrated a yearly increase Hoverfly richness, however, showed an opposite trend, possibly inter-annual variation. was higher than landscapes. did not observe any significant local effects itself populations. Wildflower particularly attractive bees flower-poor (homogeneous) landscapes during (mid-summer) period This can be explained contrast between surrounding landscape, highlights importance conditions. Our results emphasise that support effectively, future should maintained multiple years, aim maximise ensure continuously available throughout entire season. They facilitated i) mixtures plants, ii) focusing plants bloom crucial mid-summer period, iii) allowing grow iv) management techniques, which help extend Further upcoming similar long-term landscape-scale experimental studies needed all benefits ecological processes understudied European regions.

Language: Английский

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Activity of sorghum aphid and its natural enemies in the context of agroecological and weather conditions

Frontiers in Insect Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 5

Published: Feb. 10, 2025

Agroecological-oriented areawide pest management leverages the innate ability of agroecosystem to suppress pests, and thus utilize ecosystem services, a key component sustainable agriculture. A growing body knowledge on interactions between pests their natural enemies allows us recognize complexity these that often depend environmental circumstances. Sorghum aphid, Melanaphis sorghi (Theobald) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is recent but established sorghum in Great Plains North America. Both predators parasitoids prey aphid activity impact change throughout area year. landscape weather factors have been shown affect abundance numerical responses insects, consistent with observations other species. In this study we used data counts aphids, lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), parasitoid wasps Aphelinus nigritus Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) Braconidae) collected Kansas, Oklahoma Texas states United States. We analyzed insect dynamics context factors. built multiple regression models using from years 2017–2019 for metrics such as maximum number insects per leaf, response time presence, speed increase abundance. Our results indicate various aspects composition, configuration, groups field. Moreover, characteristics specific categories seemed be more informative than overall measure diversity. provides insights along both spatial temporal scales, latter considered understudied.

Language: Английский

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Wildflower Strips Increase Aculeate Pollinator Diversity but Not Abundance in Agricultural Landscapes with Rapeseed in Crop Rotations

Diversity, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(4), P. 263 - 263

Published: April 8, 2025

The decline of pollinators in agricultural environments poses a significant threat to pollination ecosystem services. Wildflower strips are proposed as strategy support pollinator populations and enhance their species richness diversity. We investigated the efficacy flowering plant mixture maintaining aculeate diversity (wild bees, predatory wasps, kleptoparasites) within intensively managed where rapeseed is common rotational crop. Over four years, were counted five times per season using 250 m transect walks. Our results demonstrated that evenness abundance distribution higher sown wildflower strips, whereas mean was greater remnants semi-natural grassland. low assemblage habitat attributed dominance sweat bee Lasioglossum pauxillum, which thrived on mass-flowering concentrated grassland fragments after harvest. conclude enriched with mixtures effectively Furthermore, both preserved patches unmanaged or minimally habitats can essentially contribute services intensive environments.

Language: Английский

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The flower strip dilemma (FSD): An overlooked challenge in nature conservation and a possible first step towards a solution by combining different aged flower strips

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 347, P. 108375 - 108375

Published: Feb. 6, 2023

Perennial flower strips on high-yield soils may lose most of their flowering aspect during aging. This creates a dilemma, referred to herein as strip dilemma (FSD): On the one hand number pollinating and non-pollinating insects increases short-term aging strips, other hand, perennial certain age often become grass dominated are therefore less attractive many species. Thus, question arises when there is appropriate time create new support species possible. To find way out described we focused carabid beetles in two different aged types strips. Many ground beetle (carabids) important pest antagonists intensively cultivated farmland can be promoted by The creation combined wildflower consisting ages, might measure compensate loss richness abundance study impact insects, recorded model guild one- three-year-old well examined results regarding richness, functional traits. We show that increase significantly beyond simple effects. Furthermore, dominating traits carabids differ with type strip: In more macropteric herbivorous were found, imaginal hibernation. shows buffering possible negative effects either young or old specific attractiveness for guilds respectively. As recommendation, farmers should at least part combination, so greater effect increasing biodiversity achieved. Further investigations make suggestions how long exist according taxa problem FSD visible.

Language: Английский

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