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12 pages, 916 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancement of the Diversity of Pollinators and Beneficial Insects in Intensively Managed Vineyards

by Francisco Javier Peris-Felipo, Fernando Santa, Oscar Aguado, José Vicente Falcó-Garí, Alicia Iborra, Michael Schade, Claire Brittain, Vasileios Vasileiadis and Luis Miranda-Barroso

Insects 2021, 12(8), 740; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12080740 - 18 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2911

Abstract

(1) Modern, intensive agricultural practices have been attributed to the loss of insect biodiversity and abundance in agroecosystems for the last 80 years. The aim of this work is to test whether there are statistically significant differences in insect abundance between different zones [...] Read more.

(1) Modern, intensive agricultural practices have been attributed to the loss of insect biodiversity and abundance in agroecosystems for the last 80 years. The aim of this work is to test whether there are statistically significant differences in insect abundance between different zones and over time on the vineyard field. (2) The study was carried out in five intensive wine farms in Spain over a three-year period (2013–2015). Each field was divided into two zones, one where cover plants were planted, and another remained unchanged (without cover). (3) A clear trend to increase the average number of insect species and individuals throughout the years in all farms was observed. Moreover, the zones with cover plants showed a significant difference with respect to the zones without. (4) The use of permanent cover plants allows creating areas of refuge for the insects favouring their conservation and reducing the agriculture impact in the insect decline. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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28 pages, 5274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Vineyard Inter-Row Groundcover Vegetation Management on Arthropod Assemblages in the Vineyards of North-Eastern Italy

by Giulia Zanettin, Angela Bullo, Alberto Pozzebon, Giovanni Burgio and Carlo Duso

Insects 2021, 12(4), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040349 - 14 Apr 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2782

Abstract

In this study, the effects of habitat management practices on both pests and beneficial arthropods were evaluated in vineyards of North-eastern Italy through different field experiments: (1) mowing of inter-row spontaneous grasses in conventional and organic vineyards, (2) different timing of mowing of [...] Read more.

In this study, the effects of habitat management practices on both pests and beneficial arthropods were evaluated in vineyards of North-eastern Italy through different field experiments: (1) mowing of inter-row spontaneous grasses in conventional and organic vineyards, (2) different timing of mowing of a green manure mixture, and (3) comparing different green manure mixtures. The first experiment followed a split-plot design, while randomized block design was used in the second and third experiment. In each experiment arthropods were sampled using different methods: leaf sampling, beating and sweep net sampling. Non-mowed spontaneous grasses in inter-rows of vineyards favored the abundance of natural enemies (e.g., predatory mites, parasitic wasps and spiders), and sometimes grapevine leafhoppers. Many arthropod species were recorded in higher numbers in organic vineyards. Late mowing of green manure favored beneficial arthropods (e.g., spiders and parasitic wasps), while it did not influence herbivore density. Groundcover management practices, aimed at increasing plant biodiversity in vineyards, could be a useful tool to enhance beneficial arthropod abundance, although the adoption of this practice should be carefully evaluated when pests occur. Semi-natural areas can contribute to create a more pest-stable agro-ecosystem and should be integrated with appropriate ecological infrastructures surrounding vineyards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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16 pages, 2054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Sugar Dispensers to Disrupt Ant Attendance and Improve Biological Control of Mealybugs in Vineyard

by Martina Parrilli, Marco Profeta, Luca Casoli, Fabio Gambirasio, Antonio Masetti and Giovanni Burgio

Insects 2021, 12(4), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040330 - 07 Apr 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2573

Abstract

Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are economically important pests occurring in vineyards, causing severe economic losses for growers and compromising bunch production. The partial effectiveness of insecticides used in controlling mealybug infestations as well as their high impact on [...] Read more.

Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are economically important pests occurring in vineyards, causing severe economic losses for growers and compromising bunch production. The partial effectiveness of insecticides used in controlling mealybug infestations as well as their high impact on the environment and on human health have led to the research of alternative and sustainable control methods, including biological control. Several natural enemies are reported to be effective against mealybugs, but their activity may be hindered by tending ants. These social insects are known to exhibit a mutualistic relationship with mealybugs, resulting in extremely aggressive behavior against beneficial insects. Consequently, this study explored a method to mitigate ant attendance by means of sugar dispensers in order to improve ecosystem services, as well as decrease mealybug infestation in vineyards. Field trials were carried out in four commercial vineyards of Northern Italy infested by mealybugs, in which Anagyrus vladimiri Triapitsyn (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were released as biological control agents. Our results showed that sugar dispensers reduced ant activity and mealybug infestation, leading to a significant enhancement of ecosystem services. The technique showed a great potential in boosting biological control against mealybugs in field conditions, though the field application seemed to be labour intensive and needs to be replicated for a multi-year evaluation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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15 pages, 1961 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Organic Farming and Cover-Crop Management Reduce Pest Predation in Austrian Vineyards

by Jo Marie Reiff, Sebastian Kolb, Martin H. Entling, Thomas Herndl, Stefan Möth, Andreas Walzer, Matthias Kropf, Christoph Hoffmann and Silvia Winter

Insects 2021, 12(3), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030220 - 04 Mar 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3752

Abstract

Habitat simplification and intensive use of pesticides are main drivers of global arthropod declines and are, thus, decreasing natural pest control. Organic farming, complex landscapes, and local vineyard management practices such as implementation of flower-rich cover-crop mixtures may be a promising approach to [...] Read more.

Habitat simplification and intensive use of pesticides are main drivers of global arthropod declines and are, thus, decreasing natural pest control. Organic farming, complex landscapes, and local vineyard management practices such as implementation of flower-rich cover-crop mixtures may be a promising approach to enhance predator abundance and, therefore, natural pest control. We examined the effect of organic versus integrated management, cover-crop diversity in the vineyard inter-rows, and landscape composition on the natural pest control of Lobesia botrana eggs and pupae. Predation of L. botrana pupae was reduced by organic farming and species-poor cover-crops by about 10%. Predation rates of L. botrana eggs did not differ significantly in any of the studied management options. Dominant predators were earwigs (Forficulidae), bush crickets (Tettigoniidae), and ants (Formicidae). Negative effects of organic viticulture are most likely related to the negative nontarget effects on arthropods related to the frequent sulfur and copper applications in combination with the avoidance of strongly damaging insecticides by integrated winegrowers. While a 10% difference in predation rates on a single pest stage is unlikely to have strong practical implications, our results show that the assumed effectiveness of environmentally friendly agriculture needs to be evaluated for specific crops and regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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24 pages, 5124 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Unexpected Effects of Local Management and Landscape Composition on Predatory Mites and Their Food Resources in Vineyards

by Stefan Möth, Andreas Walzer, Markus Redl, Božana Petrović, Christoph Hoffmann and Silvia Winter

Insects 2021, 12(2), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12020180 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3028

Abstract

Viticultural practices and landscape composition are the main drivers influencing biological pest control in vineyards. Predatory mites, mainly phytoseiid (Phytoseiidae) and tydeoid mites (Tydeidae), are important to control phytophagous mites (Tetranychidae and Eriophyidae) on vines. In the absence of arthropod prey, pollen is [...] Read more.

Viticultural practices and landscape composition are the main drivers influencing biological pest control in vineyards. Predatory mites, mainly phytoseiid (Phytoseiidae) and tydeoid mites (Tydeidae), are important to control phytophagous mites (Tetranychidae and Eriophyidae) on vines. In the absence of arthropod prey, pollen is an important food source for predatory mites. In 32 paired vineyards located in Burgenland/Austria, we examined the effect of landscape composition, management type (organic/integrated), pesticide use, and cover crop diversity of the inter-row on the densities of phytoseiid, tydeoid, and phytophagous mites. In addition, we sampled pollen on vine leaves. Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten was the main phytoseiid mite species and Tydeus goetzi Schruft the main tydeoid species. Interestingly, the area-related acute pesticide toxicity loading was higher in organic than in integrated vineyards. The densities of phytoseiid and tydeoid mites was higher in integrated vineyards and in vineyards with spontaneous vegetation. Their population also profited from an increased viticultural area at the landscape scale. Eriophyoid mite densities were extremely low across all vineyards and spider mites were absent. Biological pest control of phytophagous mites benefits from less intensive pesticide use and spontaneous vegetation cover in vineyard inter-rows, which should be considered in agri-environmental schemes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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19 pages, 1436 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mutual and Opposing Responses of Carabid Beetles and Predatory Wasps to Local and Landscape Factors in Vineyards

by Deniz Uzman, Martin H. Entling, Ilona Leyer and Annette Reineke

Insects 2020, 11(11), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11110746 - 30 Oct 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2565

Abstract

Preserving agro-biodiversity is one of the main means at the moment to counteract the global biodiversity crisis. Vineyard inter-rows offer vegetation covers which could function as foraging grounds for arthropods. Furthermore, organic management and enhanced landscape complexity often support biodiversity. Here, species richness [...] Read more.

Preserving agro-biodiversity is one of the main means at the moment to counteract the global biodiversity crisis. Vineyard inter-rows offer vegetation covers which could function as foraging grounds for arthropods. Furthermore, organic management and enhanced landscape complexity often support biodiversity. Here, species richness and abundance of two groups of arthropod predators in vineyards were studied. Fifteen pairs of organically and conventionally managed vineyards were chosen along a gradient of landscape complexity in Rhine-Hesse, Germany. Carabid beetles were sampled using pitfall traps and cavity-nesting wasps with trap nests, respectively. Proportions of different land-use types surrounding the vineyards were calculated and inter-row vegetation cover was characterized. Species richness and abundances of both predator groups were not significantly affected by the management system. Likewise, increased cover of semi-natural habitats in the surrounding landscape did not promote their diversity or abundance. Instead, the increasing cover of annual crops diminished both groups. Cavity-nesting wasps profited from dense inter-row vegetation cover, while carabids were disadvantaged. The results indicate that distinct taxa within the same trophic group can respond oppositely to vineyard management. Thus, inter-row vegetation management with densely and sparsely vegetated elements might be best to support predator diversity. Overall, our results suggest that organic viticulture alone is insufficient to assist the studied insect groups, and that other local and landscape management options are needed for their protection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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17 pages, 2679 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Biodiversity in a Cool-Climate Vineyard: A Case Study from Quebec

by Charles Vincent, Jacques Lasnier, Charles-Henri de Coussergues and Alain Baril

Insects 2021, 12(8), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12080750 - 19 Aug 2021

Viewed by 2505

Abstract

In Quebec (Canada), viticulture has experienced steady growth in the last 35 years in terms of surfaces cultivated and value, although it is practiced in climatic conditions at the edge of what is considered a cool-climate area. This case study documents biodiversity studies [...] Read more.

In Quebec (Canada), viticulture has experienced steady growth in the last 35 years in terms of surfaces cultivated and value, although it is practiced in climatic conditions at the edge of what is considered a cool-climate area. This case study documents biodiversity studies conducted at the l’Orpailleur vineyard (Dunham, QC, Canada) from 1997 to 2021. In a first phase starting in 1997, the biodiversity of insecticide-free and insecticide-treated plots was determined for the taxa Scarabaeidae, Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae, Cicadellidae, Acari and Aranae. This step provided a baseline allowing to identify key arthropods. In a second phase starting in 2004, entomological issues were addressed on an ad hoc basis. In 2014, a third phase began with a perspective of sustainability and management of plant diversity in the vineyard to conserve natural enemies. Because of increased Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica-Scarabaeidae) populations and threats to vineyards, a biocontrol program based on the parasitoid Istocheta aldrichi (Tachinidae) was initiated. The unusually fast development of grapevines during the growing season, selection of flowering species, as well as selected arthropods associated with these flowering species, will be illustrated. Periodic update of protection programs will be required to address future challenges associated with climate change scenarios and world trade. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Functional Biodiversity in Vineyards)

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