Manipulating floral resources dispersion for hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in a California lettuce agro-ecosystem

Using Calendula officinalis as a floral resource to enhance aphid and thrips suppression by the flower bug Orius sauteri (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

“…Factors in the application of floral plant resources to natural enemy pest control systems include floral resource density and distance of the floral plant from the target plant . Feeding behaviour of the natural enemy and competition with insect pollinators may have effects on the efficacy of natural enemies . In addition, O. sauteri was reared on artificial diet for reducing the possible impact of variation in food (prey) quality for our experiments.…”

Effects of bund crops and insecticide treatments on arthropod diversity and herbivore regulation in tropical rice fields

“…) and Alyssum, Lobularia maritima (L) Desv., between rows of vegetables (Gillespie et al. ) is gaining popularity as a means to reduce herbivore damage by providing resources for predators and parasitoids.…”

Agronomic aspects of strip intercropping lettuce with alyssum for biological control of aphids

“…Several hoverfly species occur in California lettuce fields and larvae of the most voracious species can kill more than 160 currant-lett uce aphids daily (Hopper et al, 2011 ). Most adult hoverflies trapped in lettuce fields intercropped with alyssum contained large amounts of alyssum pollen in their gut (Gillespie et al, 2011 ). Hoverfly females require pollen for egg production (Schneider, 1948 ), and providing hoverflies with alyssum flowers increased their egg production and aphid suppression on lettuce (Hogg et al, 2011b ).…”

“…The minimum amount of alyssum flowers required for adequate aphid control in lettuce, and the optimal arrangem ent for lettuce-al yssum intercroppin g system is unknown. Lettuce-alyssum intercroppin g practices in California range from strip intercropp ing systems with alyssum on whole beds or rows at regular intervals such as every 48 m of lettuce beds (Gillespie et al, 2011 ), to scattered systems where alyssum plants are interspersed randomly through fields. However , in lettuce fields intercropped with alyssum, typically 5-10% of the arable area is used for in-field insectary strips (Bugg et al, 2008;Colfer, 2004).…”

“…In addition to higher-price d aphid-resist ant cultivars, organic farms here rely heavily on biologica l control that is enhanced by intercroppin g lettuce with 'insectary plants' such as alyssum (Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv.) (Bugg et al, 2008;Gillespie et al, 2011;Smith et al, 2008 ). Intercropping describes systems where two or more crops are grown simultaneous in the same area of a field (Willey, 1979 ).…”