Beitrag
Facility cultivation systems mediate Tuta absoluta damage and natural pest control by Nesidiocoris tenuis
Chen, Heng; Sun, Ying; Wei, Xiaoman; Li, Wentao; Zhang, Jinlong; Gao, Jianwei; Zuo, Jiahong; Chen, Guohua; Zhang, Xiaoming
Entomologia Generalis Volume 46 Number 1 (2026), p. 79 - 87
veröffentlicht: Mar 31, 2026
Online veröffentlicht: Feb 3, 2026
Manuskript akzeptiert: Oct 18, 2025
finale Ms. Revision erhalten: Oct 13, 2025
Manuskript-Revision angefordert: May 4, 2025
Manuskript erhalten: Jan 4, 2025
ArtNo. ESP146004601008, Preis: 29.00 €
Abstract
Facility agriculture is an intensive farming system that employs engineered structures to regulate the crop-growing environment, thereby influencing pest populations and the performance of natural enemies. This study examined the effects of three tomato facility cultivation systems – sheltered mulch cultivation, whole-house mulch-free cultivation, and mulching of the whole greenhouse – on the interactions between the invasive pest Tuta absoluta and its predator Nesidiocoris tenuis. Laboratory experiments confirmed that N. tenuis effectively preys upon T. absoluta egg, with the highest predation capacity observed for 5th instar N. tenuis nymphs. Predation efficiency decreased with increasing predator density due to intraspecific interference. Field investigations further demonstrated that the sheltered mulch cultivation system reduced T. absoluta egg, larva, and adult population peaks by 10.6%, 24.7%, and 13.7%, respectively, compared with the mulch-free system, while increasing N. tenuis density by 32%. Although T. absoluta maintained an aggregated spatial distribution across all cultivation modes, its overall population density and associated damage to tomato plants were lowest under sheltered mulch conditions. These findings indicate that sheltered mulch cultivation enhances biological control and contributes to sustainable pest management in protected cropping systems.
Schlagworte
Microclimate • biological control • greenhouse • spatial distribution • predator density • integrated pest management (IPM) • mirid predators • population dynamics