Effects of management on lepidoptera and parasitoids in tropical banana agroecosystems.

摘要

Biological control of lepidopteran pests on banana plantations by parasitoids has never been adequately researched. Understanding the population dynamics of lepidopteran defoliators and their naturally occurring parasitoids in the Atlantic zone of Costa Rica is essential for a more complete understanding of the relationship between pesticide, pest, and parasitoid function in this wet tropical banana agroecosystem. This research encompassed three goals: (1) to better understand the current abundance and diversity of lepidopteran pests on banana plantations, (2) to gauge parasitism and its relationship to chemical inputs, and (3) to gauge possible beneficial effects of incorporating a nectar-producing source into banana plantations. The results of this research provide insight into many pest-predator functions in wet tropical agroecosystems, notably: (1) many common lepidopteran pests of banana are rare in analogous systems, (2) some lepidopteran populations are lower in high-input plantations, and (3) tachinid parasitism is higher in high-input plantations, while, conversely, hymenopteran abundance is lower in high-input plantations. No effects of intercropping were detected. The conclusions and recommendations in this study add to the current understanding of the role of insect ecology in tropical agriculture and provide a baseline for studying pest-parasitoid interactions in tropical banana agroecosystems.