Non-crop plants enhancing populations of a grounddwelling predator in chili pepper crops

Abstract

The landscape simplification compromises the quality of ecosystem services in cropping systems.
Generalist predators play an important role in pest control in agroecosystems. Incrementing
their populations can be achieved by managing plant diversity. We aimed to study the role
of maintenance of non-crop vegetation on predators in the soil of chili pepper agroecosystems.
The occurrence of the chili pepper fruit borer (Symmetrischema dulce) and the chili pepper
yield was compared in the presence and in the absence of non-crop plants. Experimental plots
consisted of chili pepper in monoculture or with maintenance of non-crop plants within the field
and on the borders. Soil predators were sampled by pitfall traps. The abundance of predatory
beetles was higher in chili pepper crops where non-crop plants were maintained. There was no
difference in the abundance of the chili pepper fruit borer between the management systems.
The maintenance of non-crop plants did not affect the yield of chili pepper plants.