Dietary DNA metabarcoding of predatory arthropods in agroecosystems
Predatory natural enemies play a critical role in the biological control of agricultural pests, with numerous species already commercialized for pest management. Nevertheless, assessing their biocontrol potential prior to application remains essential. DNA metabarcoding has been successfully employed to elucidate predator-prey interactions in agroecosystems and to evaluate the pest control potential of predators. This project employs DNA metabarcoding to characterize the prey composition of predatory arthropods within agroecosystems and integrates ecological approaches to comprehensively assess their functional role in biological pest control.