Abstract
Conservation biological control (CBC) aims to enhance pest regulation/suppression by intentionally attracting, retaining, and promoting the fitness and effectiveness of natural enemies. Due to carbohydrate sources being highly limited in agroecosystems, providing alternative carbohydrate sources (i.e., nectar sugars, starches) can enhance the survival, fecundity, and effectiveness of natural enemies. Under laboratory conditions, we analyzed five flowering non-crop plant species in habitat management on the longevity, egg load, and reproductive performance of the parasitoid, Aenasirus bambawalei Hayat (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a key natural enemy of mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae). Moreover, we measured the influence of the flowering candidates on the host preference and population growth of P. solenopsis . All five flowering non-crop plant species, Fagopyrum esculentum (Polygonaceae), Tagetes erecta (Asteraceae), Vicia faba (Fabaceae), Lobularia maritima (Brassicaceae), and Coriandrum sativum (Apiaceae) promoted the longevity and egg load of A. bambawalei when compared with water only. However, only the females fed on F. esculentum , V. faba, and L. maritima produced 16% and 13% higher total offspring and female offspring than on water, respectively. None of these five non-crop plant species increased the population of mealybugs on crop plants or in the overall system (non-crop plants + crop plants), and there was no significant difference in their abundance across the five different plant combinations. All five flowering candidates positively affected the longevity and/or reproductive capabilities of A. bambawalei without causing an increase in the population of mealybugs on crop plants. • Flowering F . esculentum , T . erecta , V . faba , L . maritima , and C . sativum are nutrient non-crop plants for the parasitoid A . bambawalei. • Flowering F. esculentum, V . faba , and L. maritima could positively impact the offspring of A. bambawalei. • These five candidates were not suitable host of mealybug . • Adding these five flowering candidates had no impact on mealybug population growth on potato crop plant. • These non-crop plants are good candidates to evaluate in field studies as insectary plants under the framework of conservation biological control.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
All five flowering non-crop plant species promoted the longevity and egg load of the parasitoid A. bambawalei compared with water only.
- Taxon
- A. bambawaleie1
- Treatment
- All five flowering non-crop plant speciese0
- Outcome
- longevity and egg loade1
- Direction
- promotede1
- Comparator
- water onlye1
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“All five flowering non-crop plant species”
e1“promoted the longevity and egg load of A. bambawalei when compared with water only”
Claim · model-written summary
Females fed on F. esculentum, V. faba and L. maritima produced 16% higher total offspring than on water.
Verbatim
e0“only the females fed on F. esculentum , V. faba, and L. maritima produced 16% and 13% higher total offspring and female offspring than on water”
e1“Aenasirus bambawalei”
Claim · model-written summary
Females fed on F. esculentum, V. faba and L. maritima produced 13% higher female offspring than on water.
Verbatim
e0“only the females fed on F. esculentum , V. faba, and L. maritima produced 16% and 13% higher total offspring and female offspring than on water”
e1“Aenasirus bambawalei”
Claim · model-written summary
None of the five non-crop plant species increased the mealybug population on crop plants or in the overall system.
- Taxon
- mealybugsPseudococcidaee0
- Treatment
- these five non-crop plant speciese0
- Interactor
- mealybugsPseudococcidaee0pest
- Outcome
- population of mealybugse0
- Direction
- no_changeinferrede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“None of these five non-crop plant species increased the population of mealybugs on crop plants or in the overall system”
Claim · model-written summary
There was no significant difference in mealybug abundance across the five plant combinations.
- Taxon
- mealybugsPseudococcidaee0
- Treatment
- the five different plant combinationse0
- Interactor
- mealybugsPseudococcidaee0pest
- Outcome
- abundancee0
- Direction
- no_changeinferrede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“population of mealybugs on crop plants or in the overall system (non-crop plants + crop plants), and there was no significant difference in their abundance across the five different plant combinations”
Claim · model-written summary
The five flowering non-crop plants were not suitable hosts of the mealybug.
Verbatim
e0“These five candidates were not suitable host of mealybug”