Beneficial insects on shelter plants associated with organic tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum)

Acosta A.; Rodríguez-Berrio A.; Siura S. · Acta Horticulturae (2022) · DOI: 10.17660/actahortic.2022.1355.5

Resumen

Beneficial insects (parasitoids, predators and pollinators) are part of the biological abundance of the agroecosystem and their presence depends of the habitat and production system but, their population could be vulnerable in a poorly diversified or high-input use production system, losing valuable ecosystem services in the pest regulation. Access to nectar and pollen depends on several factors such as size, architecture, nectary position and flowering period of the shelter plants. In this research, organic tomato crop was associated with seven shelter plants for beneficial insects. Shelter plants were selected for their common use, easiness to grow, flowering, and seasonality; they were basil (Ocimum basilicum), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus), peppermint (Mentha piperita), cotton (Gossypium barbadense), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis). Associated plants were planted every 10 tomato rows forming biological alleys distributed in a DBCA design with 7 treatments and 3 blocks (seven associated tomato crop and one monoculture). Insects were collected in each treatment and alpha, beta indicator were used, as well as non-parametric Kruskall-Wallis statistics. A total of 5689 individuals were registered in 75 families and 9 orders. The most representative families with the highest abundance and diversity were parasitoids Braconidae (Chelonus insularis), Ichneumonidae (Campoletis sp.), Scelionidae (Aradophagini sp.) and Tachinidae (Conmatacta variegata); predators Carabidae (Tetracha carolina chilensis and Blennidus spp.); Coccinellidae (Hippodamia convergens), Berytidae (Metacanthus spp.), Nabidae (Nabis punctipennis), Dolichopodidae (Condylosttylus quadricolor), Crabronidae (Liris spp.), pollinating insects Apidae (Apis mellifera) and Halictidae (Agapostemon). The refuge plants with the most diversity of beneficial insects associated with tomato crop were buckwheat, cotton, basil and sunflower and they could be recommended as shelter plants for organic tomato crop.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina