Impact of Cultivation on the Control Efficacy and Distribution of Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) against Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Cucumber Greenhouses.

This study aimed to evaluate the enhancement of control by when was planted as a companion crop in cucumber greenhouses. The density and spatial distribution of and parasitized mummies were investigated across three treatment plots: (1) the simultaneous application of and cultivation of (parasitoid-zinnia plot); (2) the application of alone (parasitoid plot); and (3) a control plot (no application of both). maintained low densities in the parasitoid-zinnia plots, while its densities in the parasitoid plots initially decreased but rapidly increased thereafter. The spatial distribution patterns of and parasitized mummies showed similar trends across treatments. However, the parasitism rate of exhibited random distribution in parasitoid and control plots, while showing uniform distribution in the parasitoid-zinnia treatment. These results supported the idea that cultivating alongside cucumber could enhance the effectiveness of as a biocontrol agent against , highlighting the importance of such companion planting in pest management strategies.