Influence of Cover Crop Termination on Ground Dwelling Arthropods in Organic Vegetable Systems.

Laura Depalo,Stefano Canali,Francesco Montemurro,Giovanni Burgio,Antonio Masetti,Serena Magagnoli,Daniele Sommaggio

doi:10.3390/insects11070445

Laura Depalo, Stefano Canali + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11070445

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Abstract

A key aspect in cover crop management is termination before the cash crop is planted. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of termination methods on ground-dwelling arthropods. The conventional mechanical termination method—i.e., green manuring by means of a disc harrow—was compared to flattening using a roller crimper. Two different crop systems were investigated for two growing seasons; cauliflower was grown in autumn after the termination of a mixture of cowpea, pearl millet, and radish, and tomato was cropped in spring and summer after the termination of a mixture of barley and vetch. Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), and spiders (Araneae) were sampled by means of standard pitfall traps throughout the growing season of both cash crops. The roller crimper increased the overall abundance of ground beetles in the first growing season of both cash crops, whereas in the second year, no significant effect could be detected. Rove beetles were more abundant in plots where the cover crops were terminated by the roller crimper. Finally, green manuring increased the abundance of spiders, especially on the first sampling date after cover crop termination. Albeit different taxa showed different responses, the termination of cover crops by a roller crimper generally increased the abundance of ground dwelling arthropods. Given that most of the sampled species were generalist predators, their increased abundance could possibly improve biological control.

Highlights

Cover crops are one of the habitat manipulation practices most often adopted to improve sustainability in agricultural systems [1]
To accomplish the objective of this study, we investigated the responses of ground beetles, rove beetles (Staphylinidae), and spiders (Araneae) to cover crop termination methods
The abundance of rove beetles increased over time in in-line tillage roller crimper (IL-RC), but not in green manuring (GM), explaining the significant interaction between termination technique and sampling date (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Cover crops are one of the habitat manipulation practices most often adopted to improve sustainability in agricultural systems [1]. The inclusion of cover crops in crop rotations to break the cash crop sequence, and/or instead of a long bare fallow periods, may positively influence multiple ecosystem services. The presence and management of cover crops can affect the abundance and diversity of beneficial arthropods, which play an important role in biological control of pests and delivery of other ecosystem services [8,9,10]. Insects 2020, 11, 445 farming practices [8] In this context, some cover crops can be considered as an agroecological pest management practice to increase the complexity of cropping systems and to provide resources for beneficial arthropods; for this reason, they may be defined as agroecological service crops (ASC) [12]

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