Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine
Improving natural pest control by promoting high densities of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective way to prevent damage by pest mites (e.g., Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae) and other arthropod taxa that can cause serious damage to vineyards. Here, we investigate the influence of innova...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2017-08-01
|
| Series: | Insects |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/8/3/86 |
| _version_ | 1817998388392624128 |
|---|---|
| author | Theresa Pennington Christian Kraus Ekatarina Alakina Martin H. Entling Christoph Hoffmann |
| author_facet | Theresa Pennington Christian Kraus Ekatarina Alakina Martin H. Entling Christoph Hoffmann |
| author_sort | Theresa Pennington |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Improving natural pest control by promoting high densities of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective way to prevent damage by pest mites (e.g., Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae) and other arthropod taxa that can cause serious damage to vineyards. Here, we investigate the influence of innovative management on predatory mite densities. We compare (i) full versus reduced fungicide applications and (ii) minimal pruning versus a traditional trellis pruning system in four fungus-resistant grapevine varieties. As predatory mites also feed on fungus mycelium, we assessed fungal infection of grapevine leaves in the experimental vineyard. Predatory mites were significantly more abundant in both minimal pruning and under reduced plant protection. Increases in predatory mites appeared to be independent of fungal infection, suggesting mostly direct effects of reduced fungicides and minimal pruning. In contrast to predatory mites, pest mites did not increase under innovative management. Thus, conditions for natural pest control are improved in fungus-resistant grapevines and under minimal pruning, which adds to other advantages such as environmental safety and reduced production cost. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:52:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9da8e258908048659b46bedb6948878b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T02:52:40Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-9da8e258908048659b46bedb6948878b2022-12-22T02:16:14ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502017-08-01838610.3390/insects8030086insects8030086Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in GrapevineTheresa Pennington0Christian Kraus1Ekatarina Alakina2Martin H. Entling3Christoph Hoffmann4Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, GermanyJulius Kühn Institute, Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Viticulture, Geilweilerhof, 76833 Siebeldingen, GermanyInstitute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, GermanyInstitute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstraße 7, 76829 Landau, GermanyJulius Kühn Institute, Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Viticulture, Geilweilerhof, 76833 Siebeldingen, GermanyImproving natural pest control by promoting high densities of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective way to prevent damage by pest mites (e.g., Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae) and other arthropod taxa that can cause serious damage to vineyards. Here, we investigate the influence of innovative management on predatory mite densities. We compare (i) full versus reduced fungicide applications and (ii) minimal pruning versus a traditional trellis pruning system in four fungus-resistant grapevine varieties. As predatory mites also feed on fungus mycelium, we assessed fungal infection of grapevine leaves in the experimental vineyard. Predatory mites were significantly more abundant in both minimal pruning and under reduced plant protection. Increases in predatory mites appeared to be independent of fungal infection, suggesting mostly direct effects of reduced fungicides and minimal pruning. In contrast to predatory mites, pest mites did not increase under innovative management. Thus, conditions for natural pest control are improved in fungus-resistant grapevines and under minimal pruning, which adds to other advantages such as environmental safety and reduced production cost.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/8/3/86viticulturebeneficial arthropodsTyphlodromus pyrifungicidefungus-resistant cultivarssustainable agricultureecosystem servicesnatural pest control |
| spellingShingle | Theresa Pennington Christian Kraus Ekatarina Alakina Martin H. Entling Christoph Hoffmann Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine Insects viticulture beneficial arthropods Typhlodromus pyri fungicide fungus-resistant cultivars sustainable agriculture ecosystem services natural pest control |
| title | Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine |
| title_full | Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine |
| title_fullStr | Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine |
| title_short | Minimal Pruning and Reduced Plant Protection Promote Predatory Mites in Grapevine |
| title_sort | minimal pruning and reduced plant protection promote predatory mites in grapevine |
| topic | viticulture beneficial arthropods Typhlodromus pyri fungicide fungus-resistant cultivars sustainable agriculture ecosystem services natural pest control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/8/3/86 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT theresapennington minimalpruningandreducedplantprotectionpromotepredatorymitesingrapevine AT christiankraus minimalpruningandreducedplantprotectionpromotepredatorymitesingrapevine AT ekatarinaalakina minimalpruningandreducedplantprotectionpromotepredatorymitesingrapevine AT martinhentling minimalpruningandreducedplantprotectionpromotepredatorymitesingrapevine AT christophhoffmann minimalpruningandreducedplantprotectionpromotepredatorymitesingrapevine |