Ground cover presence in organic olive orchards affects the interaction of natural enemies against Prays oleae, promoting an effective egg predation

Álvarez, Hugo Alejandro; Jiménez-Muñoz, Raquel; Morente, Marina; Campos, Mercedes; Ruano, Francisca

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2021.107441

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Several studies pointed out that the olive moth P. oleae was consumed by ants (Álvarez et al, 2021), especially T. nigerrimum (Morris et al, 1999, 2002). This could be because P. oleae has its highest abundances between May and July (Villa et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In relation to this, Álvarez, Morente, Oi, et al (2019) showed recently that ants living next to and within organic olive orchards tend to move from the natural adjacent vegetation to the olive trees mainly when the ground cover started to wither, which corresponds with the time that P. oleae lays the eggs on young olive fruits. Furthermore, the abundance and trophic interactions of Tapinoma ants within the canopy of olive trees can be boosted by mature ground covers and less pesticide use (Álvarez et al, 2021; Álvarez, Morente, Campos, & Ruano, 2019; Morente et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, the high variability showed by isotopic signatures is pointing to a varied omnivorous diet in nature. Though, it is important to point out that there could be antagonistic interactions with other predators of P. oleae such interactions can be appeased by less insecticide use (Morente et al, 2018) and modulated by ground covers (Álvarez et al, 2021; Álvarez, Morente, Campos, & Ruano, 2019; Álvarez, Morente, Oi, et al, 2019). Thus, as suggested by Mansour et al (2017), even when there could be negative effects, ants should not be excluded from agroecosystems because the exclusion of a predator may alter the nature and intensity of predatory, competitive and mutualistic interactions among natural enemies (Pinol et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Álvarez

García‐García

Sandoval

et al. 2023

J Applied Entomology

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Ants play a key role in improving the structure and function of local communities. They interact with plants, herbivores, predators and parasitoids and are able to change their trophic role in space and time. These features, however, make it difficult to establish the net trophic role of ants in agroecosystems. Here we aim to determine the isotopic enrichment and tissue incorporation rates in ants of the Tapinoma nigerrimum complex, which are found abundantly in olive orchards (i.e. T. ibericum), to determine their trophic role through stable isotopes analysis. We compared the isotopic signature of ants feeding on (1) natural diets, (2) experimental diets and (3) contrasting diets of ants inhabiting natural habitats and olive orchards with different management systems. Then, we contrasted our isotopic results on natural diets with the prey of ant foragers in olive orchards. Our results showed that (1) ants from olive orchards had an isotopic signature different from that of a hyper‐predator; (2) the isotopic signature did not vary significantly amongst different management practices and (3) the diet of ants in nature varies greatly on preys according to resource availability, which may be reflected in isotopic signatures. Therefore, T. ibericum is a species that can potentially contribute to control olive pests without posing a risk to other natural enemies because commonly it is not a hyper‐predator. The information presented here could be used by farmers and technicians to enhance local biological control planning and/or strategies in olive orchards.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Álvarez

García‐García

Sandoval

et al. 2023

J Applied Entomology

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“…Historically, the conservation of these predators had been achieved by using selective pesticides (Bostanian et al 2000;Bouvet et al 2019;Mansour et al 2021). At present, alternative sustainable strategies have been also promoted to enhance the conservation of these predators, such as the implementation of ecological infrastructures (i.e., cover crops) (Álvarez et al 2021;Horton et al 2003) or the addition of supplementary foods (Beltrà et al 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Induction of plant defenses: the added value of zoophytophagous predators

Pérez‐Hedo

Bouagga²,

Zhang

et al. 2022

J Pest Sci

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Several biological control agents of the hemipteran insect families Miridae, Anthocoridae and Pentatomidae, as well as mites of the family Phytoseiidae are known as zoophytophagous predators, a subset of omnivores, which are primarily predaceous but also feed on plants. It has been recently demonstrated that zoophytophagous predators are capable of inducing defenses in plants through their phytophagy. Despite the vast fundamental knowledge on plant defense mechanisms in response to herbivores, our understanding of defense induction by zoophytophagous predators and applied implications is relatively poor. In this review, we present the physiological basis of the defense mechanisms that these predators activate in plants. Current knowledge on zoophytophagous predator-induced plant defenses is summarized by groups and species for the predators of economic importance. Within each group, feeding habits and the effects of their induced-plant defenses on pests and natural enemies are detailed. Also, the ecological implications of how the induction of defenses mediated by zoophytophagous predators can interact with other plant interactors such as beneficial soil microorganisms and plant viruses are addressed. Based on the above, we propose three approaches to exploit zoophytophagous predator-induced defenses in crop protection and to guide future research. These include using predators as vaccination agents, employing biotechnological approaches, as well as applying elicitors to elicit/mimic predator-induced defenses.

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“…Conventionally, studies about biological control in olive groves have mainly focused on a very specific group of taxa of predators and parasitoids, addressing the temporal matching with the pests and changes in abundance (Albertini et al., 2017; Álvarez et al., 2021; Dinis et al., 2016; Morris, Campos, Kidd, Jervis, & Symondson, 1999; Sacchetti, 1990; Paredes et al., 2019). Nevertheless, the study of the trophic linkages of generalist predators with potential preys including pests may clarify their ecological role in the agroecosystem and their importance as beneficial arthropods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the trophic relationships amongst arthropods in olive grove by δN¹⁵and δC¹³stable isotope analysis

Morente

Ruano

2022

J Applied Entomology

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So far the limited knowledge about the diet of omnivores and generalist predators in olive groves has not allowed the clarification of their role as natural enemies. Stable isotope (δN15 and δC13) analysis is a useful tool for predicting the trophic position of a high number of species, the variety of basal resources and the flux of energy in the food web. We have explored the possible consumers of two important pests in the olive grove: adults of Prays oleae Bern (Lepidoptera: Praydidae) during its anthophagous generation and the pupae of Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae). In addition, we have included in the study the adult instar of the secondary pest Euphyllura olivina (Costa) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). These arthropods were clustered in isotopic groups according to their similarities in δN15 and δC13 content assuming that, in this case, they shared similar feeding habits. Using this criterion, we obtained eight isotopically different groups of predators and eleven groups of phytophagous insects. We have used Bayesian mixing models in order to identify the potential predators of the different pests included in our study and the proportion that each pest occupied in the diet of the identified predators. Different taxa of spiders and Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) have emerged as potential predators of B. oleae. Moreover, Gnaphosidae (Araneae) showed suitable isotopic characteristics to be identified as potential predator of P. oleae and A. nemoralis has been confirmed as a predator of E. olivina. The presence of E. olivina as an abundant resource encourages the settlement of natural enemies in olive orchards which feed on this secondary pest, but are also ready to feed on any insect outbreak, for example P. oleae.

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Ground cover presence in organic olive orchards affects the interaction of natural enemies against Prays oleae, promoting an effective egg predation

Cited by 19 publications

References 48 publications

Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Induction of plant defenses: the added value of zoophytophagous predators

Understanding the trophic relationships amongst arthropods in olive grove by δN¹⁵and δC¹³stable isotope analysis

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Ground cover presence in organic olive orchards affects the interaction of natural enemies against Prays oleae, promoting an effective egg predation

Cited by 19 publications

References 48 publications

Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Elucidating the trophic role of Tapinoma ibericum (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a potential predator of olive pests

Induction of plant defenses: the added value of zoophytophagous predators

Understanding the trophic relationships amongst arthropods in olive grove by δN15and δC13stable isotope analysis

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Product

Resources

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Understanding the trophic relationships amongst arthropods in olive grove by δN¹⁵and δC¹³stable isotope analysis