Biocontrol Science and Technology (2018) 28, 883-894

Qingxuan Xu, Séverin Hatt, Zongli Han, Frédéric Francis and Julian Chen (2018)
Combining E-β-farnesene and methyl salicylate release with wheat-pea intercropping enhances biological control of aphids in North China
Biocontrol Science and Technology 28 (9), 883-894
Abstract: Combining intercropping with the release of semiochemicals may strengthen biological control of aphids as a push-pull strategy that simultaneously repels aphids and attracts their natural enemies. This hypothesis was tested in the Henan Province of China in 2016 where aphids, their natural enemies and mummies were trapped and observed on crops in three treatments: wheat-pea strip intercropping solely (control), intercropping combined with the release of E-β-farnesene (EBF) and intercropping combined with the release of methyl salicylate (MeSA). Each treatment was repeated four times. The abundance of aphids throughout the growing season (9 weeks between March and May) was significantly decreased and the abundance of natural enemies and mummies were significantly increased in treatments with releases of semiochemicals compared to intercropping solely. The effect was stronger with MeSA than with EBF on the control of Rhopalosiphum padi and pea aphids as well as on the attraction of lacewings and hoverflies. Indeed, lacewings and hoverflies were on average twice more numerous in MeSA than in the other treatments. These results show that combining wheat-pea intercropping with the release of EBF or MeSA can significantly reduce aphid density and attract their natural enemies and that this effect is strengthen with MeSA when compared to EBF.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Frédéric Francis, Séverin Hatt, Ju Lian Chen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Acyrthosiphon pisum		China (NE)
	Rhopalosiphum padi		China (NE)