4.6 Editorial Material

Special issue on recent advances in zoophytophagous arthropods for agroecosystems sustainability

Related references

Note: Only part of the references are listed.
Review Entomology

Integrated pest management of Tuta absoluta: practical implementations across different world regions

Nicolas Desneux et al.

Summary: The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta, poses a threat to worldwide tomato production. Integrated pest management programs have been effective in controlling this pest, with the most successful practices being biological control and biotechnical control. Research on agronomic control is ongoing to enhance IPM effectiveness.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2022)

Review Entomology

Induction of plant defenses: the added value of zoophytophagous predators

Meritxell Perez-Hedo et al.

Summary: This review presents the physiological basis of defense mechanisms activated by zoophytophagous predators in plants and their effects on pests and natural enemies. Our understanding of defense induction by these predators and its applied implications is relatively poor, but three approaches to exploit these defenses in crop protection are proposed.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2022)

Review Entomology

Advances zoophytophagous stinkbugs (Pentatomidae) use in agroecosystems: biology, feeding behavior and biological control

Angelica Plata-Rueda et al.

Summary: This article reviews the use and restrictions of predatory Hemiptera in agroecosystems, with a focus on Asopinae species with zoophytophagous-predatory habits (SZP). It discusses advances in biology, feeding strategies, and biological control using SZPs, as well as four approaches to improve their effectiveness and popularization in crops.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2022)

Article Behavioral Sciences

Optimal foraging strategy to balance mixed diet by generalist consumers: a simulation model

Tarryn Schuldiner-Harpaz et al.

Summary: Animals mix various food sources to achieve a nutritionally balanced diet, and the strategies they adopt depend on the availability of nutrients in the environment. A simulation model was developed to explore the strategy consumers should adopt in response to the abundance of nutritionally complementary food types. The results suggest that consumers should invest more effort in detecting scarce resources and exhibit higher selectivity when the proportion of food types deviates from their optimal ratio in the diet.

BEHAVIOUR (2022)

Article Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

Approaches to conservation of Nesidiocoris tenuis for biological control of pests in field-grown tomato in Senegal

Anais Chailleux et al.

Summary: Conservation biological control is a promising approach for natural pest control in Africa. In this study, we found that watering and insecticidal sprays had a detrimental effect on the biocontrol predator Nesidiocoris tenuis. We also identified Sesamum radiatum as a potential insectarium plant that supports the development and reproduction of N. tenuis without attracting it away from tomato plants.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL (2022)

Article Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

Plant feeding by Nesidiocoris tenuis: Quantifying its behavioral and mechanical components

Milena Chinchilla-Ramirez et al.

Summary: Research on Zoophytophagous predators, particularly the mirid Nesidiocoris tenuis, has shown that behavioral observations and mechanical studies are crucial in understanding their feeding activities and damage potential on tomato plants. The study revealed that fifth-instar nymphs of N. tenuis exhibit a higher frequency of probing and spend more time feeding on tomato plants, particularly on cell-rupturing events, compared to adults. These findings suggest that targeting the feeding behavior of fifth-instar nymphs may lead to effective control strategies for minimizing damage caused by N. tenuis on tomato crops.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL (2021)

Article Entomology

Simplified modelling enhances biocontrol decision making in tomato greenhouses for three important pest species

R. Moerkens et al.

Summary: The study examines the use of generalist and specialist predators in biocontrol programs for greenhouse vegetable crops, focusing on developing predator-prey decision models based on extensive field data to predict when pest control should be initiated. The study did not involve complex mathematical models but instead used a simple empirical approach, showing satisfactory biocontrol models which, when combined with standardized monitoring protocols, can be implemented in decision-making tools. In the future, additional data will allow for a machine learning approach incorporating parameters like temperature, humidity, and time.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2021)

Article Entomology

Genetic improvement ofOrius laevigatusfor better fitness feeding on pollen

Jose Enrique Mendoza et al.

Summary: The study conducted genetic improvement on Orius laevigatus to enhance its fitness on suboptimal food, comparing the selected strains with unselected strains on rich and suboptimal diets. The selected lines showed significantly improved values for various traits, indicating that genetic gain played a critical role in enhancing their performance on suboptimal food. The improved lines have the potential for augmentative biocontrol and artificial rearing.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2021)

Article Entomology

Plant exposure to herbivore-induced plant volatiles: a sustainable approach through eliciting plant defenses

Meritxell Perez-Hedo et al.

Summary: Modern agricultural policies aim to reduce chemical pesticide dependency, but pest management strategies still rely on synthetic pesticides. Using herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) as a sustainable alternative is a new trend. This study successfully implemented (Z)-3-HP as an HIPV for pest control under commercial greenhouse conditions, enhancing tomato plant defenses and reducing pest damage.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2021)

Article Entomology

Eliciting tomato plant defenses by exposure to herbivore induced plant volatiles

Meritxell Perez-Hedo et al.

Summary: Research shows that herbivore-induced plant volatiles released by zoophytophagous mirids can activate defense mechanisms in plants, leading to repellent or attractive effects on various pests. This study provides a starting point for using volatile compounds as defense elicitors in tomato crops.

ENTOMOLOGIA GENERALIS (2021)

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

The pest kill rate of thirteen natural enemies as aggregate evaluation criterion of their biological control potential of Tutaabsoluta

Joop C. van Lenteren et al.

Summary: Ecologists study population regulation, while scientists studying biological pest control apply population regulation processes to reduce harmful organisms. Evaluation criteria and pest kill rates are used to select effective biological control agents to reduce pest damage to crops.

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS (2021)

Article Entomology

Genetic Variation in the Feeding Behavior of Isofemale Lines ofNesidiocoris tenuis

Milena Chinchilla-Ramirez et al.

INSECTS (2020)

Article Entomology

Reduced phytophagy in sugar-provisioned mirids

P. Urbaneja-Bernat et al.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2019)

Article Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

Impact of the zoophytophagous predator Engytatus varians (Hemiptera: Miridae) on Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) control

Daniel Alberto Perez-Aguilar et al.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL (2019)

Article Entomology

Defensive plant responses induced by Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) on tomato plants

Meritxell Perez-Hedo et al.

JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE (2015)

Article Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

Biocontrol of persea mite, Oligonychus perseae, with an exotic spider mite predator and an indigenous pollen feeder

Yonatan Maoz et al.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL (2011)