Cascading effects of combining synthetic herbivore‐induced plant volatiles with companion plants to manipulate natural enemies in an agro‐ecosystem

• Published in: Pest management science 2018-09, Vol.74 (9), p.2133-2145
• Main Authors: Salamanca, Jordano, Souza, Brígida, Rodriguez‐Saona, Cesar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural ecosystems; Allelochemicals; Arthropods; attract‐and‐reward; Biomass; Communities; conservation biological control; Crop production; Crop yield; Crops; Damage; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Field tests; Herbivores; herbivore‐induced plant volatiles; Insects; methyl salicylate; Natural enemies; Organic chemistry; Predation; Predators; Productivity; Salicylic acid; Seeds; Tactics; Volatile compounds; Volatiles
• ISSN: 1526-498X; 1526-4998
• DOI: 10.1002/ps.4910

BACKGROUND Whether tactics to manipulate natural enemies in agro‐ecosystems enhance their ecosystem function and services remains debatable. We conducted field experiments in 2015–2016 to test the hypothesis that attraction of natural enemies to herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), alone or in combination with companion plants, increases crop productivity. Our treatments consisted of bean plants alone or baited with methyl salicylate (MeSA; an HIPV), or combined with coriander (a companion plant), or with both MeSA and coriander. Numbers of arthropods were visually sampled in each treatment. Sentinel aphids were used to measure ecosystem function (i.e. predation). Plant damage and biomass, and the number and weight of pods and seeds, were measured as a proxy for ecosystem services. RESULTS MeSA and coriander, when alone or combined, increased the abundance of insect predators from six families, reduced herbivore (e.g. spider mite and thrips) populations, and increased aphid predation. MeSA and coriander also reduced damage by spider mites. MeSA with or without coriander did not, however, increase crop biomass or any yield parameters. CONCLUSIONS MeSA alone or combined with coriander attracted different predator communities, altered pest communities, and reduced damage; however, these results did not cascade down to improve crop productivity. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry HIPVs alone and with companion plants attracted different predator communities. HIPVs alone and with companion plants altered pest communities. HIPVs alone and with companion plants reduced damage but did not cascade down to affect plant fitness.