Arthropod Demography, Distribution, and Dispersion in a Novel Trap-Cropped Cotton Agroecosystem.

ABSTRACT: Vernonia [Vernonia galamensis (Cass.) Less.] (Asterales: Asteraceae) was examined as a potential trap crop for the cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., Malvales: Malvaceae) arthropod complex. Four rows of vernonia were embedded within a 96-row cotton field. The abundance of true bug pests, true bug predators, and spiders were determined by whole-plant and sweep net sampling procedures during the early, middle, and late phases of the cotton-growing season. The census data showed that the arthropods had a strong preference for the vernonia trap crop throughout the cotton-growing season. The movement of the arthropods from the trap crop into cotton was also measured using the protein immunomarking technique as a mark-capture procedure. The arthropods inhabiting the vernonia trap crop were marked di

SUBMITTER: Hagler JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7913541 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature