10 research outputs found
Molecular determination of the predator community of a cassava whitefly in Colombia: pest-specific primer development and field validation
Diabetic silkworms for evaluation of therapeutically effective drugs against type II diabetes
Molecular determination of the predator community of a cassava whitefly in Colombia: pest-specific primer development and field validation
Adult Parasitoids of Honeydew-Producing Insects Prefer Honeydew Sugars to Cover their Energetic Needs
The Endosymbiont Arsenophonus Is Widespread in Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines, but Does Not Provide Protection from Parasitoids or a Fungal Pathogen
Influence of Landscape Diversity and Composition on the Parasitism of Cotton Bollworm Eggs in Maize
The “curved lead pathway” method to enable a single lead to reach any two intracranial targets
Neuroplastin deletion in glutamatergic neurons impairs selective brain functions and calcium regulation: implication for cognitive deterioration
Manipulation of Agricultural Habitats to Improve Conservation Biological Control in South America
International audienceStable and diversified agroecosystems provide farmers with important ecosystem services, which are unfortunately being lost at an alarming rate under the current conventional agriculture framework. Nevertheless, this concern can be tackled by using ecological intensification as an alternative strategy to recuperate ecosystem services (e.g., biological control of pests). To this end, the manipulation of agricultural habitats to enhance natural enemy conservation has been widely explored and reported in Western Europe and North America, whereas in other parts of the world, the investigation of such topic is lagging behind (e.g., South America). In this forum, we gathered published and unpublished information on the different ecological habitat management strategies that have been implemented in South America and their effects on pest control. Additionally, we identify the various challenges and analyze the outlook for the science of conservation biological control in South America. More specifically, we reviewed how different agricultural practices and habitat manipulation in South America have influenced pest management through natural enemy conservation. The main habitat manipulations reported include plant diversification (intercropping, insectary plants, agroforestry), conservation and management of non-crop vegetation, and application of artificial foods. Overall, we noticed that there is a significant discrepancy in the amount of research on conservation biological control among South American countries, and we found that, although intercropping, polycultures, and crop rotation have been reported in agroecosystems since pre-Inca times, more systematic studies are required to evaluate the true effects of habitat management to implement conservation biological control for pest control in South America