Dynamics of ground-dwelling phytophagous and predatory arthropods under different weed management strategies in conventional and genetically modified insect resistant maize

Maize crop protection requires the continuous incorporation of management tools, especially for weed and pest control, which should be economically and environmentally sustainable. In this work, field trials were carried out in Central Spain during 2012, 2013 and 2014 to assess populations of ground-dwelling phytophagous and predatory arthropods in maize grown under different management strategies for weed and pest control. These strategies consisted of several herbicide options, including the evaluation of glyphosate as a new tool in sustainable maize crop protection, and the use of conventional and genetically modified maize varieties. In general, no variation in the communities of ground-dwelling phytophagous and predatory arthropods was detected in the different herbicide regimes although minor changes were observed in the abundances of some taxa. Additionally, the introduction of glyphosate did not disrupt these communities. Weed management based on reduced doses of conventionally used herbicides resulted in enhanced populations of the two dominant species of ground beetles, the omnivorous Pseudoophonus rufipes (De Geer) and P. griseus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Carabidae). The stability of the ground-dwelling arthropod community, one of the main indicators of environmental sustainability in an agroecosystem, was not noticeably affected by any of the maize varieties or herbicide options assessed in this work.

Automated summary

Field trials conducted in Central Spain showed that different management strategies for weed and pest control did not have a noticeable impact on the communities of ground-dwelling phytophagous and predatory arthropods, although minor changes were observed in the abundances of some taxa. The use of reduced doses of conventionally used herbicides resulted in increased populations of dominant ground beetle species. The stability of the ground-dwelling arthropod community was not significantly affected by any of the maize varieties or herbicide options assessed in this study.