Intercropped Plants Provide a Reservoir of Predatory Mites in Coffee Crop

Júlia J. Ferla, Gustavo J. de Araújo, Madelaine Venzon, Pedro H. M. G. Nascimento, Milena O. Kalile, Shauanne D. Pancieri, André C. Cardoso, Elem F. Martins, Noeli J. Ferla and Angelo Pallini ()
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Júlia J. Ferla: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Gustavo J. de Araújo: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Madelaine Venzon: Agriculture and Livestock Research Enterprise of Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Pedro H. M. G. Nascimento: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Milena O. Kalile: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Shauanne D. Pancieri: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
André C. Cardoso: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Elem F. Martins: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Noeli J. Ferla: Laboratory of Acarology, Universidade do Vale do Taquari—Univates, Lajeado 95914-014, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Angelo Pallini: Department of Entomology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-000, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: Conservation biological control of pests may be achieved using a variety of integrated strategies based on crop diversification. We investigated whether the insertion of the intercropped plants species (IPS) Inga edulis , Senna macranthera , and Varronia curassavica modified the abundance of mites, their feeding behavior, and the dissimilarity of predator and herbivore mites over a gradient of distance from the IPS on coffee. To accomplish this, we recorded the mite species on coffee plants along transects of 16 m extending from the IPS, including on the IPS. A total of 8946 specimens were sampled. Tenuipalpidae was the most abundant family on coffee, followed by Tydeidae, while Eriophyidae was the most abundant on the IPS, followed by Phytoseiidae. The abundance and richness of mites differed between their feeding behavior and distance. The dissimilarity of predators and herbivores increased along a gradient of distance. Furthermore, the IPS harbored several mite species and the diversity of predator and herbivore mites among the IPS was different. The findings suggest that the intercropped plant species can attract and serve as a reservoir of predatory mites on coffee crops, which could improve the biocontrol of pest mites on coffee.

Keywords: conservation biological control; agroecosystem diversification; ecosystem service; herbivores; natural enemies; integrated pest management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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