What are the effects of aromatic plants and meteorological factors on Pseudococcus comstocki and its predators in pear orchards?

Wan, Huihua; Song, Bei Zhou; Tang, Guang Bo; Zhang, Jie; Yao, Y. C.

doi:10.1007/s10457-015-9789-7

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The Comstock mealybug, Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is widely recognized as an important insect pest of fruit trees, especially pear trees, in many fruit-producing regions of the world, with special reference to North and Northwest China [ 1 ]. Its importance as an emerging pest of fruit, vineyard and ornamental crops in European countries, including Italy, is increasing [ 2 , 3 ] (Parrilli M. and Burgio G, unpubl.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…data). The nymphs and adult females strongly inhibit the growth and morphogenesis of fruit trees, mainly by feeding on buds, twigs, leaves, fruits, and rootlets, resulting in twig and shoot swelling, longitudinal cracking, abnormal fruit development and production of a large quantity of honeydew, thus causing major economic losses [ 1 , 4 ]. Several studies have been conducted to increase the knowledge about the biology of this mealybug pest, looking for effective control strategies [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Old Parasitoids for New Mealybugs: Host Location Behavior and Parasitization Efficacy of Anagyrus vladimiri on Pseudococcus comstocki

Ricciardi

Zeni

Michelotti

et al. 2021

Insects

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The Comstock mealybug, Pseudococcus comstocki (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is a primary pest of orchards in the North and Northwest of China. This pest appeared recently in Europe, including Italy, where it is infesting mainly vineyards as well as apple and pear orchards. The present study investigated the efficacy of Anagyrus vladimiri, a known biological control agent (BCA) of Planococcus ficus, on P. comstocki to evaluate a potential use for the management of this new pest. No-choice tests were conducted to quantify the parasitoid behavior against P. ficus and P. comstocki. The parasitoid successfully parasitized both species (parasitization rate: 51% and 67% on P. comstocki and P. ficus, respectively). The A.vladimiri developmental time (19.67 ± 1.12 vs. 19.70 ± 1.07 days), sex ratio (1.16 ± 1.12 vs. 1.58 ± 1.07) and hind tibia length of the progeny showed no differences when P. comstocki and P. ficus, respectively, were exploited as hosts. Two-choice tests, conducted by providing the parasitoid with a mixed population of P. ficus and P. comstocki, showed no host preference for either of the two mealybug species (23 vs. 27 first choices on P. comstocki and P. ficus, respectively). The parasitization rate (61.5% and 64.5% in P. comstocki and P. ficus, respectively) did not differ between the two hosts. Overall, our study adds basic knowledge on parasitoid behavior and host preferences and confirms the use of this economically important encyrtid species as an effective BCA against the invasive Comstock mealybug.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Old Parasitoids for New Mealybugs: Host Location Behavior and Parasitization Efficacy of Anagyrus vladimiri on Pseudococcus comstocki

Ricciardi

Zeni

Michelotti

et al. 2021

Insects

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“…In previous studies, the control effect of aromatic plants on insect pests was mainly related to an increased ratio of predators to pests and not to the attraction of parasitoids. Specifically, O. basilicum plantation close to crop plants improves predator-mediated biological control [ 46 , 47 ]. Furthermore, Song et al [ 46 ] showed that peak abundance of arthropod predators occurs during the flowering period of T. patula , suggesting a positive effect of this aromatic plant species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Biological Control of Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella): Effects of Two Aromatic Plants, Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and French Marigolds (Tagetes patula)

Laffon

Bischoff

Gautier

et al. 2022

Insects

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The addition of flowering companion plants within or around crop fields is a promising strategy to strengthen pest regulation by their natural enemies. Aromatic plants are frequently used as companion plants, but their effects on natural enemies remain unclear under field conditions. Here, we evaluated the effects of two aromatic plant species on the parasitism of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella) and the recruitment of predatory arthropods (spiders, earwigs) in a factorial field experiment. Apple trees were intercropped with basil (Ocimum basilicum), French marigolds (Tagetes patula), or ryegrass (Lolium perenne). The association between apple trees and O. basilicum increases codling moth parasitism, but does not affect arthropod predator abundances. Furthermore, we find a general negative effect of T. patula on arthropod diversities and abundances, including the pest and its natural enemies. Finally, changes in the parasitism rate and arthropod community structure due to the aromatic plants do not reduce codling moth density or associated apple damage. Further experiments are needed to determine the mechanisms involved in aromatic plant effects on pest repellence and on natural enemy recruitment (volatile organic compound composition, floral resource supply, or pest density dependence).

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“…However, it remains to be explored whether mint plants in field or greenhouse settings would increase predation or whether they would mask herbivore location. Nonetheless, given the fact that aromatic plants, including mint (M. canadensis and M. haplocalyx), basil, and marigold, etc., serving as CPs, have been successfully shown to recruit natural enemy arthropods and reduce herbivores in an array of agricultural fields for pear orchards, tomato farms and tea plantations 12,[39][40][41][42][43] , it is highly possible that candy mint and spearmint could be likewise applied for pest control against mint-unexperienced and -experienced N. tenuis in field agriculture.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mint companion plants enhance the attraction of the generalist predator Nesidiocoris tenuis according to its experiences of conspecific mint volatiles

Rim

Hattori

Arimura

2020

Sci Rep

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Mint plants enable improvement of pest management by attracting herbivore enemies to constitutively released mint volatiles. The generalist predator Nesidiocoris tenuis is used worldwide to control agricultural pests, but little is known about whether mint can serve as a companion plant that attracts this predator. To examine this, olfactory responses of N. tenuis were assessed using apple mint, candy mint, and spearmint as odor sources. Of the volatiles released by these mint species, candy mint volatiles alone were more attractive than those from undamaged eggplant, and were as attractive as volatiles from eggplant damaged with Spodoptera litura larvae. However, no prominent preference for particular volatile(s) among the mint volatiles was shown by O. strigicollis. When N. tenuis had been previously exposed to candy mint, the predator showed a stronger preference for candy mint volatiles than damaged eggplant volatiles. It was, however, irrelevant whether the predator received benefit or not by predating animal prey during the mint-experience period. In contrast, spearmint-experience increased the preference for spearmint volatiles only when the predator acquired prey during the mintexperience period. These findings suggest that previous exposure of N. tenuis to some particular mint species can increase its preference for volatiles from the conspecific mints. Plants produce and emit volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in order to resist environment stresses such as heat and light 1 , to deter herbivores and pathogenesis 2-4 , and to attract beneficial organisms, including natural enemies of herbivores 5-7 and pollinators 8. The pivotal roles of plant VOCs in the tritrophic system consisting of plant, herbivore, and predator have been intensively researched in a large array of cultivated crops 7 to be applied for use of biological control of herbivores 9. Among such applications, "companion planting" is one successful example of polyculture in which target plants (TPs) are cultivated with companion plants (CPs) to assist TP growth or protection against pests by attracting beneficial insects or repelling pests 10. For example, CPs such as mint, basil and marigold work as attractants for herbivore enemies 11,12. Moreover, an aphid predator, Cycloneda sanguinea L. (Coccinellidae), has been shown to be attracted to corianders owing to their pollen and nectar serving as supplementary foods 13. Recently, Togashi et al. showed that candy mint (Mentha x piperita L. cv. Candy) and spearmint (M. spicata L.) attract Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Phytoseiidae), a specialized predatory mite of Tetranychidae, but not Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Phytoseiidae) 14 , a generalized predator that consumes not only mites but also pollen, thrips, and other tiny arthropods 15. These results were certainly unexpected because it was initially expected that the generalist N. californicus rather than the specialist P. persimilis would be responsive to mint VOCs. To the best of our knowledge about companion plants attracting...

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What are the effects of aromatic plants and meteorological factors on Pseudococcus comstocki and its predators in pear orchards?

Cited by 10 publications

References 43 publications

Old Parasitoids for New Mealybugs: Host Location Behavior and Parasitization Efficacy of Anagyrus vladimiri on Pseudococcus comstocki

Old Parasitoids for New Mealybugs: Host Location Behavior and Parasitization Efficacy of Anagyrus vladimiri on Pseudococcus comstocki

Conservation Biological Control of Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella): Effects of Two Aromatic Plants, Basil (Ocimum basilicum) and French Marigolds (Tagetes patula)

Mint companion plants enhance the attraction of the generalist predator Nesidiocoris tenuis according to its experiences of conspecific mint volatiles

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