Schifani Enrico, Castracani Cristina, Giannetti Daniele, Spotti Fiorenza Augusta, Reggiani Roberto, Leonardi Stefano, Mori Alessandra, Grasso Donato Antonio
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a, 43124 Parma, Italy.
Azienda Agraria Sperimentale Stuard, Strada Madonna dell'Aiuto, 7/a, 43126 San Pancrazio, Parma, Italy.
Insects. 2020 Feb 17;11(2):129. doi: 10.3390/insects11020129.
Knowledge of the role of ants in many agroecosystems is relatively scarce, and in temperate regions the possibility to exploit ants as biocontrol agents for crop protection is still largely unexplored. Drawing inspiration from mutualistic ant-plant relationships mediated by extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), we tested the use of artificial nectaries (ANs) in order to increase ant activity on pear trees and to evaluate the effects on the arthropods, plant health and fruit production. While EFNs secrete a complex solution mainly composed of sugars and amino acids, ANs were filled with water and sucrose only. The results suggest that ANs can be used as manipulative instruments to increase ant activity over long periods of time. High ant activity was significantly linked to lower incidence of the pathogen fungus (pear scab) on pear leaves, and of the presence of (codling moth) caterpillars on pear fruit production. These results further encourage exploring underrated possibilities in the development of new tools for conservation biological control (CBC).
人们对蚂蚁在许多农业生态系统中的作用了解相对较少,在温带地区,利用蚂蚁作为作物保护的生物防治剂的可能性在很大程度上仍未得到探索。我们从由花外蜜腺(EFNs)介导的互利共生蚂蚁-植物关系中获得灵感,测试了人工蜜腺(ANs)的使用,以提高梨树周围蚂蚁的活动,并评估其对节肢动物、植物健康和果实产量的影响。虽然花外蜜腺分泌一种主要由糖和氨基酸组成的复杂溶液,但人工蜜腺只填充了水和蔗糖。结果表明,人工蜜腺可作为一种操纵工具,在较长时间内提高蚂蚁的活动。蚂蚁的高活动量与梨树叶上病原菌真菌(梨黑星病)的低发病率以及梨果实上(苹果蠹蛾)毛虫的低出现率显著相关。这些结果进一步鼓励探索在保护生物防治(CBC)新工具开发中被低估的可能性。