We evaluated pest and predator spatial distributions in relation to asparagus field margins, developed molecular gut content analysis methods for two key asparagus pests, and determined trophic links between the two pests and arthropod predators. Our results indicated that the abundance of natural enemies is higher outside asparagus fields than inside, and fields bordered by forests had higher numbers of predators compared to other types of field margins. We screened 3,646 field-collected predators from 10 commercial asparagus fields using molecular gut content analysis in 2014 and 2015, and found that 29 arthropod families feed on the two key pests. Significantly more predators positive for the two key pests' DNA were found in field margins in both years than inside the asparagus field. We highlight the potential significance of unmanaged field margins, particularly forested ones, in providing biocontrol services in agricultural fields.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.