Effects of intercropping with aromatic plants on the diversity and structure of an arthropod community in a pear orchard

Abstract

Five aromatic plants, Centaurea cyanus, Saturela hortensis, Nepeta cataria, Agerarum houstonianum, and Ocimum basilicum, were assessed as intercrops in a pear orchard, and all significantly reduced the pest population compared with that in the plot natural grasses. The decrease was particularly marked for C. cyanus, S. hortensis, and A. houstonianum, and plots intercropped with these aromatic plants also had significantly higher values of ratios of natural enemies to pests, Simpson's index, the Shannon-Wiener index, and the evenness index of arthropod species at the flowering, immature-fruits, and fruit-growth stages of the pear trees. In none of the plots except that intercropped with C. cyanus, however, were there any significant changes in the abundance of predators and parasitoids. Intercropping with aromatic plants in pear orchards proved beneficial to the main crop by repelling pests and regulating the structure of the arthropod community in the pear orchard ecosystem.

Non‐host plant essential oil volatiles with potential for a ‘push‐pull’ strategy to control the tea green leafhopper, Empoasca vitis

“…Geranium oil has diverse effects on the behavior of arthropods, with effects on Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Tabanca et al., ), B. tabaci (Yarahmadi et al., ), and mosquitoes (Ali et al., ). In general, essential oils contain VOCs from aromatic plants, which are unattractive and repellent to certain insect species (Basedow et al., ; Song et al., , ). Zhang et al.…”

“…Geranium oil has diverse effects on the behavior of arthropods, with effects on Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Tabanca et al, 2013), B. tabaci (Yarahmadi et al, 2013), and mosquitoes (Ali et al, 2013). In general, essential oils contain VOCs from aromatic plants, which are unattractive and repellent to certain insect species (Basedow et al, 2006;Song et al, 2010Song et al, , 2011. Zhang et al (2013Zhang et al ( ,b, 2014a reported that the volatiles of aromatic plants repelled two tea pests, Ectropis obliqua (Prout) and E. vitis.…”

The role of ecological infrastructure on beneficial arthropods in vineyards

“…In their research on dicotyledonous weeds, Wilson & Aebisher (1995) reported that the density of most arthropod species decreased significantly as distance from crop edge increased from 0 to 128 m. Some authors (Winkler, 2005;Bàrberi et al, 2010) have reviewed the importance of vegetation diversity for enhancing populations of beneficial arthropods in cropland. Wyss (1996), Simon et al (2010) and Song et al (2010) reported a positive effect of plant comunity diversification on beneficial arthropods in orchards. Non-crop habitats bordering agricultural fields in Europe have been found to have a favourable effect on a number of beneficials as spiders, ladybugs, and syrphids (Hillocks, 1998;Ernoult et al, 2013).…”

Intercropping With Aromatic Plants Decreases Herbivore Abundance, Species Richness, and Shifts Arthropod Community Trophic Structure

“…Aromatic plants are a special type of plant group as they have both medicinal and aromatic properties and they contain a variety of volatile oils that are well known for their insecticidal, antifeedant, and repellent effects on insect pests (Song et al 2010). In recent years, intercropping with aromatic plants as an alternative method for reducing browsing pressure has attracted research attention.…”