Side effects of kaolin particle films on apple orchard bug, beetle and spider communities

Compatibility of organic farming treatments against Monosteira unicostata with non-target arthropod fauna of almond trees canopy

“…Negative effects of kaolin on non-target arthropod fauna have been reported before in many crops, including olive, apple, plum, blueberry, pecan or cotton (Knight et al, 2001;Showler & Sétamou, 2004;Lombardini et al, 2005;Jaastad et al, 2006;Markó et al, 2006Markó et al, , 2008Markó et al, , 2010Stelinski et al, 2006;Sackett et al, 2007;Pascual et al, 2010;Scalercio et al, 2010). These detrimental effects were independent of the number of applications made, because in these studies they ranged from one to more than ten.…”

“…Laboratory studies have also reported negative biological and behavioral effects of kaolin particle film on entomophagous arthropods (Ulmer et al, 2006;Porcel et al, 2011;Bengochea et al, 2013Bengochea et al, , 2014aBenhadi-Marín et al, 2016). In addition, although some field trials did not find negative effects of kaolin on certain natural enemies (Karagounis et al, 2006;Sackett et al, 2007;Porcel et al, 2011) in other studies, populations of different taxa of parasitoid and predatory arthropods were reduced after kaolin applications (Knight et al, 2001;Showler & Sétamou, 2004;Lombardini et al, 2005;Jaastad et al, 2006;Markó et al, 2006Markó et al, , 2008Markó et al, , 2010Stelinski et al, 2006;Sackett et al, 2007;Pascual et al, 2010;Scalercio et al, 2010).…”

Effects of kaolin particle films on the life span of an orb-weaver spider

“…Salticidae, Philodromidae and Thomisidae families) decreased after kaolin sprays while orb-waver spiders (e.g. Araneidae, Dictinidae and Theridiidae families) were less affected or not affected at all (Sackett et al, 2007;Marko et al, 2010). In olive orchards, Pascual et al (2010) observed a decrease of the abundance of Philodromidae as well as of A. cucurbitina after three years of study.…”

“…In olive orchards, Pascual et al (2010) observed a decrease of the abundance of Philodromidae as well as of A. cucurbitina after three years of study. Kaolin particles can interfere with the hunting ability of wandered spiders that seemed to be more vulnerable to sprays than orb-weaver spiders, because of their direct contact with the surface (Pekar, 1999;Sackett et al, 2007;Marko et al, 2010).…”

“…Concerning spiders, Sackett et al (2007), Marko et al (2010) and Pascual et al (2010) observed a reduction of density of spiders in crop fields. Spiders are generalist predators with important predatory action in agroecosystems and ability to reduce the populations of various insect pests (Marc et al, 1999;Nyffeler and Sunderland, 2003;Riechert and Lockley, 1984).…”