Assessment of the Biological Control Potential of Common Carabid Beetle Species for Autumn- and Winter-Active Pests (Gastropoda, Lepidoptera, Diptera: Tipulidae) in Annual Ryegrass in Western Oregon.

TitleAssessment of the Biological Control Potential of Common Carabid Beetle Species for Autumn- and Winter-Active Pests (Gastropoda, Lepidoptera, Diptera: Tipulidae) in Annual Ryegrass in Western Oregon.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsReich, I, Jessie, C, Ahn, S-J, Choi, M-Y, Williams, C, Gormally, M, Donnell, RMc
JournalInsects
Volume11
Issue11
Date Published2020 Oct 22
ISSN2075-4450
Abstract

While carabid beetles have been shown to feed on a variety of crop pests, little is known about their species assemblages in US annual ryegrass crops, where invertebrate pests, particularly slugs, lepidopteran larvae and craneflies, incur major financial costs. This study assesses the biological control potential of carabid beetles for autumn- and winter-active pests in annual ryegrass grown for seed by: (a) investigating the spatial and temporal overlap of carabids with key pests; and (b) molecular gut content analysis using qPCR. Introduced was the only common carabid that was active during pest emergence in autumn, with 18.6% and 8.3% of collected between September and October testing positive for lepidopteran and cranefly DNA, respectively, but only 1.7% testing positive for slug DNA. While pest DNA was also detected in the guts of the other common carabid species, and -these were active only during spring and summer, when crop damage by pests is less critical. None of the four carabid species was affected by disk tilling and only was significantly associated with a vegetated field margin. However, as its impact on native ecosystems is unknown, we do not recommend managing for this species.

DOI10.3390/insects11110722
Alternate JournalInsects
PubMed ID33105729
PubMed Central IDPMC7690374
Grant ListREP-750296 / / H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions /