title: The Effect of Conservation Tillage and Cover Crop Residue on Beneficial Arthropods and Weed Seed Predation in Acorn Squash.
abstract: Conservation tillage combined with cover crops or mulching may enhance natural enemy activity in agroecosystems by reducing soil disturbance and increasing habitat structural complexity. In particular, weed seed predation can increase with vegetation cover and reduced tillage, indicating that mulches may improve the quality of the habitat for weed seed foraging. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of tillage and mulching for conservation biological control in cucurbit fields. The effects of mulch and reduced tillage on arthropods and rates of weed seed loss from arenas were examined in field trials on sandy soils in 2014 and 2015. Experimental factors included tillage and cover crop, each with two levels: strip-tillage or full-tillage, and cover crop mulch (rye residue) or no cover crop mulch (unmulched). Arthropod abundance on the crop foliage was not affected by tillage or cover crops. Contrary to expectations, epigeal natural enemies of insects and rates of weed seed removal either did not respond to treatments or were greater in full-tilled plots and plots without mulch. Our study demonstrates the potential importance of weed seed predators in reducing weed seedbanks in vegetable agroecosystems, and suggests that early-season tillage may not be detrimental to epigeal predator assemblages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Food Safety and Toxicology Bldg., Michigan State University, 1129 Farm Lane Rm. 348, East Lansing, MI 48824 (quinni01@vt.edu; szendrei@msu.edu).|Present Address: Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic and State University, Price Hall, 170 Drillfield Dr., Rm. 216A, Blacksburg, VA 24061.
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science Bldg., Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue St., Room A440A, East Lansing, MI 48824 (brainar9@msu.edu).
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Brainard
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Food Safety and Toxicology Bldg., Michigan State University, 1129 Farm Lane Rm. 348, East Lansing, MI 48824 (quinni01@vt.edu; szendrei@msu.edu) szendrei@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Szendrei
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods / Q000502:physiology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development*; D028464:Cucurbita / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D020387:Food Chain; D060434:Herbivory; D008824:Michigan; D057685:Plant Weeds / Q000502:physiology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Carabidae; epigeal; granivory; habitat management; no-till