Effects of different cultivation systems in leaf traits and herbivory damage in Ilex paraguariensis (Aquifoliaceae)

Abstract

Different environmental conditions are crucial to determine many attributes in plants by selective pressures. Plant traits and ecological interactions may present variation in outputs in these distinctive selection scenarios. In south Brazil, yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) has been cultivated in monoculture and in consortium systems, differing significantly in lightning intensity and associated plant richness. In this study, three areas of both cultivation systems were monitored to verify the plant outputs in leaf area and herbivory damage. Our results showed that consortium system cultivation presents higher values of leaf area and higher damage by herbivory. Higher leaf area in consortium system corresponds to numerous studies and corroborates the phenotypic plasticity expected for Ilex paraguariensis. On the other hand, the higher leaf damage opposed the hypothesis that greater plant richness should promote the best herbivory control by natural enemies. Despite the higher foliar loss plants cultivated under consortium system present adequate leaf area to farmers. Beside species richness, other plant community traits play important role in mitigation of herbivory.