Native insectary plants support populations of predatory arthropods for Australian vineyards

M Retallack,M Keller,L Thomson,P Roca

doi:10.1051/bioconf/20191501004

M Retallack, M Keller + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20191501004

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Abstract

We provide a summary of two recent studies that investigated the role that three native insectary plants can play in promoting predatory arthropods, and thereby to enhance biological control of vineyard pests in Australia. Native plants are preferred as supplementary flora, as they are locally-adapted to Australia's climatic conditions. Stands of mature Bursaria spinosa, Leptospermum continentale and Rytidosperma ssp. located adjacent to, or in vineyards, in South Australia were sampled for arthropods in 2013/14. Grapevines were also sampled to explore relationships between each plant and associated arthropods using common diversity indices. Twenty seven thousand and ninety-one individual invertebrate specimens were collected, comprising 20 orders and 287 morphospecies. These were categorised into functional groups of predators, herbivores and other. Predatory arthropods dominated the diversity of morphospecies present on each plant. The richness of predator morphospecies across all plant types was nearly double the number found in association with grapevines. It may be possible to increase the functional diversity of predatory arthropods by more than 3x when either B. spinosa or L. continentale is present versus grapevines only, and increase the net number of predator morphospecies by around 27% when Rytidosperma ssp. are planted in combination with grapevines. The selected plants provide a suitable habitat to support diverse and functional populations of predatory arthropods. The opportunity to plant selected native insectary species could help wine grape growers save time and resources by producing fruit with lower pest incidence, while enhancing biodiversity associated with vineyards.

Highlights

Economic damage is caused in Australian vineyards each season by pest species [1]
Randomised morphospecies accumulation curves are clearly approaching an upper asymptote in every case, which reflect the estimated total numbers of predatory arthropod morphospecies that are associated with each plant
Species accumulation curves for predatory arthropod morphospecies showed two groups comprising the arthropods associated with B. spinosa and L. continentale, and V. vinifera and Rytidosperma ssp. (Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

Economic damage is caused in Australian vineyards each season by pest species [1]. Light brown apple moth (LBAM), Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is the principal insect pest that causes economic damage in Australian vineyards. Epiphyas postvittana causes damage to flower clusters resulting in yield losses and damage to berry skins. Damaged skins provide infection sites for Botrytis cinerea and other bunch moulds, which may result in a reduction in fruit quality and yield losses [2]. Other common vineyard pests include the Australian grapevine moth, weevils, mealybugs, scales and mites [3]. Insectary plants need to be attractive to predators and parasitic species (‘predators’) but not to pests, and be easy to establish and maintain, without actively competing with grapevines

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