Wildflower companion plants increase pest parasitation and yield in cabbage fields: Experimental demonstration and call for caution

Balmer, Oliver; Géneau, Céline E.; Belz, Elodie; Weishaupt, Bettina; Förderer, Gerda; Moos, Sebastian; Ditner, Nadine; Jurić, Ivan; Luka, Henryk

doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2014.04.008

Cited by 54 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…However, studies that find greater number of wasps and higher parasitism rates near the floral resources or in treatments with flowers with available nectar frequently can find no clear effect on pest populations or crop damage (English-Loeb et al, 2003;Tillman and Carpenter, 2014). In studies that do find an effect of flowers on pests or crops the results are often inconsistent (Rebek et al, 2006;Balmer, 2014). This discrepancy may be due to the difficulty in implementing experiments of sufficient scale to separate treatment and control plots (Lee et al, 2006;Sigsgaard et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

A meta-analysis of physiological and behavioral responses of parasitoid wasps to flowers of individual plant species

Russell

2015

Biological Control

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

A meta-analysis of physiological and behavioral responses of parasitoid wasps to flowers of individual plant species

Russell

2015

Biological Control

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“…One conservation strategy that has received attention is sowing flowering plants among or alongside crops . In addition to supplying a physical refuge for natural enemies, flowers produce nectar that is beneficial to many predators and parasitoids, which in some cases leads to greater predation on pests and reduced crop damage . Plant‐derived foods rich in carbohydrates (relative to arthropod prey) often increase predator or parasitoid longevity, providing a second means to indirectly increase the impact of natural enemies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sticky situation: honeydew of the pear psylla disrupts feeding by its predator Orius sauteri

Zhang

et al. 2019

Pest Management Science

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Background Honeydew is valuable food source for predators that can build predator numbers and strengthen biological control. Honeydew excreted by hemipterans often supplements the diets of their predators and parasitoids. However, dense sticky honeydew also creates a difficult foraging environment, potentially limiting predator efficiency. Results We examined the benefits and costs of honeydew excreted by the pear psylla (Cacopsylla chinensis [Yang and Li]) for its key predator in much of Asia, the anthocorid bug Orius sauteri (Poppius). We found these predators spent more time foraging and laid more eggs in the presence of psyllid honeydew compared to the control. However, predators more often foraged among psylla without honeydew than those coated in honeydew. This suggests that while O. sauteri recognized honeydew as a useful cue to prey presence, the predators were more likely to attack pear psylla lacking the sugary excretion. In foraging trials, honeydew consistently reduced the number of psyllids killed by the predator, suggesting it limited O. sauteri mobility or reduced the nutritional value of psyllids as prey. We also found slowed development, reduced longevity, and reduced fecundity of O. sauteri reared on moth eggs (Sitotroga cerealella [Olivier]) coated in honeydew compared to those reared on moth eggs alone. Conclusion Altogether, our results suggest that psyllid honeydew could serve as a prey‐location and oviposition cue for O. sauteri. However, honeydew also limited predator foraging with the potential to limit biological control. More generally, honeydew might form an important type of defense for stationary feeders like psyllids. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

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“…; Balmer et al. ). In addition, HIPVs have been recently discovered to attract organisms belonging to the fourth trophic level (i.e., hyperparasitoids), which may counteract the plants’ benefit of recruiting natural enemies (Poelman et al.…”

Section: The Challenge Of Enhanced Production Of Parasitoid‐attractinmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Crop losses caused by phytopathogens and insects account for 25-40% of the annual worldwide production (Beddington 2010;Popp et al 2013;Sobhy et al 2014). Pest outbreaks are largely due to climate change, vast monocultures, and insect adaptations to pesticides and crop resistance (Bebber et al 2013;Balmer et al 2014;Guedes et al 2016). Since decades, synthetic pesticides are the most influential pest management tool.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospects of herbivore egg‐killing plant defenses for sustainable crop protection

Fatouros¹,

Cusumano

Danchin

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Due to a growing demand of food production worldwide, new strategies are suggested to allow for sustainable production of food with minimal effects on natural resources. A promising alternative to the application of chemical pesticides is the implementation of crops resistant to insect pests. Plants produce compounds that are harmful to a wide range of attackers, including insect pests; thus, exploitation of their natural defense system can be the key for the development of pest‐resistant crops. Interestingly, some plants possess a unique first line of defense that eliminates the enemy before it becomes destructive: egg‐killing. Insect eggs can trigger (1) direct defenses, mostly including plant cell tissue growth or cell death that lead to eggs desiccating, being crushed or falling off the plant or (2) indirect defenses, plant chemical cues recruiting natural enemies that kill the egg or hatching larvae (parasitoids). The consequences of plant responses to eggs are that insect larvae do not hatch or that they are impeded in development, and damage to the plant is reduced. Here, we provide an overview on the ubiquity and evolutionary history of egg‐killing traits within the plant kingdom including crops. Up to now, little is known on the mechanisms and on the genetic basis of egg‐killing traits. Making use of egg‐killing defense traits in crops is a promising new way to sustainably reduce losses of crop yield. We provide suggestions for new breeding strategies to grow egg‐killing crops and improve biological control.

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Wildflower companion plants increase pest parasitation and yield in cabbage fields: Experimental demonstration and call for caution

Cited by 54 publications

References 37 publications

A meta-analysis of physiological and behavioral responses of parasitoid wasps to flowers of individual plant species

A meta-analysis of physiological and behavioral responses of parasitoid wasps to flowers of individual plant species

A sticky situation: honeydew of the pear psylla disrupts feeding by its predator Orius sauteri

Prospects of herbivore egg‐killing plant defenses for sustainable crop protection

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