Original paper
Assessing effects of soil fungal bioinocula on aboveground arthropod pests and beneficials in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fields
Ourry, Morgane; Nekrep, Igor; Weber, Nika Cvelbar; Modic, Špela; Praprotnik, Eva; Schroers, Hans-Josef; Žigon, Primož; Meyling, Nicolai V.; Razinger, Jaka
Entomologia Generalis Volume 46 Number 1 (2026), p. 133 - 147
published: Mar 31, 2026
published online: Jan 28, 2026
manuscript accepted: Nov 29, 2025
final revised version received: Nov 26, 2025
manuscript revision requested: Oct 28, 2025
manuscript received: May 27, 2025
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
Strawberry plants are attacked by various arthropod herbivores, including insects and mites, causing damage to different parts of the plants during the season. Strawberry plantations also harbour beneficial arthropods such as predators, parasitoids and pollinators (e.g., predatory mites, lacewings, hoverflies,). Applications of beneficial fungi may enhance plant growth and decrease the incidence of specific arthropod pests, but their impact on entire arthropod communities is largely unknown. Two-season field trials were conducted in Denmark and Slovenia to study effects of the entomopathogenic Metarhizium brunneum, the mycoparasitic Clonostachys rosea, and arbuscular mycorrhizal biofertilizers, all fungi, on the main pest and beneficial arthropods in integrated (IPM) and organic (ORG) strawberry production systems. Soil-deployed bioinocula had limited impact on aboveground arthropod assemblages, but treatment with the M. brunneum bioinoculum significantly increased the number of predators in the trials in Slovenia, while reducing arthropod abundance and diversity in Denmark. Agricultural management strongly affected arthropod communities, with ORG trials harbouring higher arthropod abundance and diversity compared to IPM, suggesting potential benefits of sustainable farming practices. The nuanced relationships among herbivores, beneficials, and pest infestations invites further investigation to unravel the underlying ecological mechanisms shaping pest dynamics in diverse agricultural landscapes.
Keywords
agroecosystem • biological control • entomopathogenic fungi • integrated pest management (IPM) • insect • organic production • sustainable agriculture • agroecology