Natural Enemy Abundance in Southeastern Blueberry Agroecosystems: Distance to Edge and Impact of Management Practices.

摘要: Natural enemies are valuable components of agroecosystems as they provide biological control services to help regulate pest populations. Promoting biocontrol can improve sustainability by decreasing pesticide usage, which is a major challenge for the blueberry industry. Our research first compare natural enemy populations in managed (conventional and organic) unmanaged systems, addition effects non-crop habitat. We conducted our study 10 orchards during growing season across producing counties Georgia, United States. To estimate spatial distribution enemies, we suction sampling at three locations each orchard: within forested border, along edge orchard adjacent interior orchard. maintained higher abundance over areas when compared with organic or conventional production systems. In orchards, were more abundant surrounding area Populations evenly distributed less intensive systems (organic unmanaged). results indicate structure related management practice, retain Considerations must be made towards promoting ecologically based practices sustain potentially increase delivery services.