Nunez Demian A, Farcuh Macarena, Burghardt Karin T, McCluen Scott, Hooks Cerruti R R
Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.
J Econ Entomol. 2025 Apr 26;118(2):802-815. doi: 10.1093/jee/toaf033.
Increasing plant diversity in agroecosystems is often proposed as a way to reduce arthropod pest pressure and support natural enemy populations to reduce reliance on traditional chemical controls. Over 2 field seasons, we examined the effects of interplanting cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. cantalupensis) with alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) and Virginia wildrye (Elymus virginicus L.) on arthropod populations, cantaloupe yield, and fruit quality. Arthropod sampling through visual counts, sticky cards, and pitfall traps focused on herbivores and natural enemies across feeding guilds, with more specialized pests in the cucurbit system being identified to lower taxonomic levels. Living mulches might have delayed initial crop colonization by striped cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum F.) but had limited impact on beetle counts, which remained similarly low throughout the study across treatments. Aphid populations were lowest in wildrye interplanted plots, suggesting species-specific impacts on pest suppression. Beneficial arthropods, such as spiders, piercing predators, and parasitoids, were often more abundant in clover than in wildrye or monoculture plots, especially early in the season. However, cantaloupe yield was highest in monoculture plots, where fruit showed increased weight, size, and favorable color metrics compared to those from living mulch plots. These results indicate that while living mulches can support beneficial arthropods and possibly reduce early pest pressure, they may also introduce trade-offs in yield and quality. Future studies should explore adjustments to living mulch management in cantaloupe, such as reduced density or narrower planting strips, to optimize pest suppression benefits while limiting competition with the cash crop.
在农业生态系统中增加植物多样性通常被认为是一种减轻节肢动物害虫压力、支持天敌种群数量以减少对传统化学防治依赖的方法。在两个田间季节里，我们研究了在甜瓜（Cucumis melo L. var. cantalupensis）间套种杂三叶草（Trifolium hybridum L.）和弗吉尼亚披碱草（Elymus virginicus L.）对节肢动物种群、甜瓜产量和果实品质的影响。通过目视计数、粘虫板和陷阱诱捕等方式对节肢动物进行采样，重点关注不同取食类群的植食性动物和天敌，对葫芦科系统中更具专业性的害虫进行了更低分类水平的鉴定。活地被植物可能延迟了条纹黄瓜甲虫（Acalymma vittatum F.）对作物的初始定殖，但对甲虫数量的影响有限，在整个研究过程中，各处理的甲虫数量均保持在较低水平。蚜虫种群数量在间种披碱草的地块中最低，表明对害虫抑制存在物种特异性影响。有益节肢动物，如蜘蛛、刺吸式捕食者和寄生蜂，在三叶草地块中通常比在披碱草或单作地块中更为丰富，尤其是在季节早期。然而，单作地块的甜瓜产量最高，与活地被植物地块相比，单作地块的果实重量、大小增加，颜色指标更优。这些结果表明，虽然活地被植物可以支持有益节肢动物，并可能减轻早期害虫压力，但它们也可能在产量和品质方面带来权衡。未来的研究应探索对甜瓜活地被植物管理的调整，如降低密度或缩小种植带，以在优化害虫抑制效益的同时，限制与经济作物的竞争。
