Mary Ellen Dix

Influences of Trees on Abundance of Natural Enemies of Insect Pests: A Review

In this article we review the use of natural enemies in crop pest management and describe research needed to better meet information needs for practical applications. Endemic natural enemies (predators and parasites) offer a potential but understudied approach to controlling insect pests in agricultural systems. With the current high interest in environmental stewardship, such an approach has special appeal as a method to reduce the need for pesticides while maintaining agricultural profitability. Habitat for sustaining populations of natural enemies occurs primarily at field edges where crops and edge vegetation meet. Conservation and enhancement of natural enemies might include manipulation of plant species and plant arrangement, particularly at these edges; and consideration of optimum field sizes, number of edges, and management practices in and near edges. Blending the benefits of agricultural and forestry (windbreak) systems is one promising approach to field edge management that has additional benefits of wind protection and conservation of desirable wildlife species.

Insect management in windbreaks

Abstract Insect pests of windbreaks and agricultural crops, their natural enemies and other beneficial insects use windbreaks for food, protection, pupation sites and overwintering sites. Management of these insects in a windbreak should start before planting and end only when the windbreak is removed. Insect-management plans must integrate techniques developed for detecting, assessing, predicting and controlling an insect population with information on the insects biology and impact and with agriculture and forestry practices that promote optimum plant growth and yield. This chapter describes the types and importance of insect damage to plants and describes possible methods for detecting, evaluating and reducing damage to plants in windbreaks. Recent research on the impact of windbreaks on distribution and abundance of insects associated with agricultural plants is discussed.