title: Temporal dynamics of the arthropod community in pear orchards intercropped with aromatic plants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increasing attention has been paid to enhancing biological control through habitat management in agricultural systems for enhanced pest management. Pest management benefits can be realised by intercropping, which can increase natural enemy abundance and, in turn, reduce pest abundance. In this study, the composition and temporal dynamics of arthropod communities in pear orchards when intercropped with aromatic plants were investigated, and the effectiveness and applicability of aromatic plants as intercrops for enhancing insect control were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When compared with natural grasses or clean tillage, intercropping significantly reduced pest abundance and increased the ratio of natural enemies to pests. Intercropping also shortened the occurrence duration and depressed the incidence peak in annual dynamics curves of the pest subcommunity and the arthropod community, mainly because of the repellent effects of aromatic plants. Equally important, intercropping significantly reduced the numbers of major pests, such as Psylla chinensis, Aphis citricola and Pseudococcus comstocki, while their incidence period was delayed to varying degrees, and the numbers of their dominant natural enemies (Coccinella septempunctata, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Chrysoperla sinica) increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intercropping with aromatic plants led to a considerable improvement in arthropod pest management by enhancing the activity of the beneficial arthropod community within the pear orchard ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing, 102206, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beizhou
authors.forename: Zhang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jie
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jinghui
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hongying
authors.forename: Kong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuncong
mesh_terms: D031163:Ageratum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000502:physiology*; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000378:metabolism; D018649:Ocimum basilicum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D031989:Pyrus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology*; D031362:Satureja / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007302:Insect Repellents