Effect of a cover crop on the aphid incidence is not explained by increased top-down regulation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cover crops can be used as a habitat management strategy to enhance the natural enemies and their temporal synchronization with a target pest. We examined the effect of winter oat intercropping within organic plum orchards on the natural enemy abundance and seasonal dynamics on the biological control of plum aphids in spring in Central Chile.

Methods

We compared the incidence and abundance of natural enemies and aphid pests from winter to the end of spring using two treatments: (1) plum trees with an oat cover crop (OCC) and (2) plum trees without a cover crop but with spontaneous vegetation (SV). We hypothesized that cover crops allow the development of winter cereal aphids, promoting the early arrival of natural enemies in spring, resulting in an earlier control

SUBMITTER: Alvarez-Baca JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9138172 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature