Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems
In conservation agriculture, slugs are considered significant pests and their monitoring is a key option in the integrated pest management framework. Together with molluscicide applications, predators such as ground beetles can offer a tool for slug control in the field. Through the evaluation of sl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/380 |
| _version_ | 1797564784071147520 |
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| author | Davide Scaccini Michela Panini Olga Chiesa Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini Vincenzo Tabaglio Emanuele Mazzoni |
| author_facet | Davide Scaccini Michela Panini Olga Chiesa Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini Vincenzo Tabaglio Emanuele Mazzoni |
| author_sort | Davide Scaccini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In conservation agriculture, slugs are considered significant pests and their monitoring is a key option in the integrated pest management framework. Together with molluscicide applications, predators such as ground beetles can offer a tool for slug control in the field. Through the evaluation of slug and ground beetle monitoring strategies, this work compared their presence in conventional and conservation agricultural plots. The invasive <i>Deroceras invadens</i> was the dominant slug species to occur in all sampling periods. Among Carabidae, <i>Poecilus cupreus</i> and <i>Pterostichus melas</i> were the most abundant species, and <i>Bembidion</i> spp., <i>Brachinus</i> spp., and <i>Harpalus</i> spp. were also common. Beer-baited pitfall traps, whatever their alcoholic content, caught more slugs and ground beetles than wooden boards used as shelters. Slugs were more abundant in conventional plots than in conservation plots, possibly due to the lower presence of natural enemies such as ground beetles. Despite possible impacts on Carabidae, beer-baited pitfall traps should be considered a useful tool for slug monitoring and for the planning of molluscicide applications. Soil management such as minimum- or no-tillage and the presence of cover crops are important elements influencing both slug and ground beetle presence, possibly playing a key role in the maintenance of natural enemy populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:02:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0367ada991034026a2c28f4a9f0394f8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:02:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-0367ada991034026a2c28f4a9f0394f82023-11-20T04:16:27ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502020-06-0111638010.3390/insects11060380Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation AgroecosystemsDavide Scaccini0Michela Panini1Olga Chiesa2Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini3Vincenzo Tabaglio4Emanuele Mazzoni5Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, ItalyDepartment of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, ItalyDepartment of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, ItalyDepartment of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, ItalyDepartment of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, ItalyDepartment of Sustainable Crop Production, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Via Emilia Parmense 84, I-29122 Piacenza, ItalyIn conservation agriculture, slugs are considered significant pests and their monitoring is a key option in the integrated pest management framework. Together with molluscicide applications, predators such as ground beetles can offer a tool for slug control in the field. Through the evaluation of slug and ground beetle monitoring strategies, this work compared their presence in conventional and conservation agricultural plots. The invasive <i>Deroceras invadens</i> was the dominant slug species to occur in all sampling periods. Among Carabidae, <i>Poecilus cupreus</i> and <i>Pterostichus melas</i> were the most abundant species, and <i>Bembidion</i> spp., <i>Brachinus</i> spp., and <i>Harpalus</i> spp. were also common. Beer-baited pitfall traps, whatever their alcoholic content, caught more slugs and ground beetles than wooden boards used as shelters. Slugs were more abundant in conventional plots than in conservation plots, possibly due to the lower presence of natural enemies such as ground beetles. Despite possible impacts on Carabidae, beer-baited pitfall traps should be considered a useful tool for slug monitoring and for the planning of molluscicide applications. Soil management such as minimum- or no-tillage and the presence of cover crops are important elements influencing both slug and ground beetle presence, possibly playing a key role in the maintenance of natural enemy populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/380<i>Deroceras invadens</i>cover cropconservation agriculturemonitoringbeer traps<i>Pterostichus melas</i> |
| spellingShingle | Davide Scaccini Michela Panini Olga Chiesa Rinaldo Nicoli Aldini Vincenzo Tabaglio Emanuele Mazzoni Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems Insects <i>Deroceras invadens</i> cover crop conservation agriculture monitoring beer traps <i>Pterostichus melas</i> |
| title | Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems |
| title_full | Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems |
| title_short | Slug Monitoring and Impacts on the Ground Beetle Community in the Frame of Sustainable Pest Control in Conventional and Conservation Agroecosystems |
| title_sort | slug monitoring and impacts on the ground beetle community in the frame of sustainable pest control in conventional and conservation agroecosystems |
| topic | <i>Deroceras invadens</i> cover crop conservation agriculture monitoring beer traps <i>Pterostichus melas</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/380 |
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