Spatial patchiness and association of pests and natural enemies in agro-ecosystems and their application in precision pest management: a review     

Karimzadeh  Roghaiyeh  Sciarretta  Andrea 《Precision Agriculture》2022,23(5):1836-1855

Natural enemies can effectively reduce pest populations when they coincide spatially and temporally with those populations. Therefore, along with temporal synchronization, the spatial association of pests and natural enemies is also necessary to increase the efficiency of biological control. The aims of this review were to assess the current state of knowledge concerning the spatial association of pests and their natural enemies in agro-ecosystems, evaluate its application in precision pest management programs and highlight the relevant gaps in the existing literature. Spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE) and geostatistics are adequate sets of statistical tools used to study spatial patchiness and association of pests and natural enemies, especially in field crops. Spatial association between pests and natural enemies is dynamic and many biotic and abiotic factors can influence it. According to the literature, there are important gaps in the research about the spatial association of pests and natural enemies in orchards and stored products, as well as about the effects of environmental factors on the spatial association between these organisms. Mapping the spatial distribution and association of pests and natural enemies’ populations has not been used in precision biological control until recently. Precision applications focus on the targeted application of agricultural inputs in management zones rather than whole-field treatments. Information about spatial distribution and association of pests and natural enemies can be used to improve pest management practices through precision or site-specific applications of chemical and biological control measures.

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Assessing the impact of site-specific spraying on control of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eurygaster integriceps</Emphasis> (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) damage and natural enemies     

Roghaiyeh Karimzadeh  Mir Jalil Hejazi  Hossein Helali  Shahzad Iranipour  Seyed Abolghasem Mohammadi 《Precision Agriculture》2011,12(4):576-593

Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps Puton is a key pest of wheat and barley in Iran. In this study, the impact of site-specific spraying on control of sunn pest damage and densities of the natural enemies was compared with the whole-field spraying method in 2009 and 2010. Three plots were assigned to each spraying method and two others were left untreated as control. The plots were divided into 11 × 11 m grids. Adults of E. integriceps were sampled using the distance-walk method. Coccinellids, Chrysoperla carnea and nymphs of sunn pest were sampled using a sweep net. Spatial analysis of datasets was done using Geostatistical Analyst extension of ArcGIS 9.3. The spatial analysis indicated that the adults and nymphs of E. integriceps had aggregated distribution in space and that site-specific spraying was applicable. Whole-field spraying was carried out when the mean density of E. integriceps in plots exceeded the economic threshold. In the site-specific spraying method, decamethrin ([cyano-[3-(phenoxy) phenyl] methyl] 3-(2,2-dibromoethenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylate) was applied to the grid cells with densities above the economic threshold. Site-specific application reduced the insecticide input by ca. 40–50%. The numbers of C. carnea and coccinellids were higher in site-specifically sprayed plots compared with whole-sprayed plots after treatment. The mean numbers of nymphs were not significantly different (P < 0.01) in whole-field and site-specifically sprayed plots. Percent damaged grain was below the economic damage threshold in all treated plots. It can be concluded that site-specific spraying has the potential to control E. integriceps at an acceptable level along with reducing the amount of insecticide used. It also conserved natural enemies in untreated refuges.  相似文献