Honeydew management to promote biological control

Maite Fernández de Bobadilla*, Natalia M. Ramírez, Miguel Calvo-Agudo, Marcel Dicke, Alejandro Tena

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Honeydew is the excretion of plant-feeding hemipterans and it is one of the most abundant source of carbohydrates for parasitoids and predators in agroecosystems. Being so abundant, honeydew mediates direct and indirect interactions that affect biological control. We describe these interactions and identify honeydew-management strategies to reduce pest pressure. First, the presence of nondamaging honeydew producers in cover crops and hedges increases the efficacy of parasitoids and predators. Second, breaking the mutualism between ants and honeydew-producing pests with alternative sugar sources promotes biological control of these pests. Third, we propose to explore honeydew volatiles to attract biological control agents and repel pests, as well as to induce plant defenses. Finally, we urge reducing the use of systemic pesticides that contaminate honeydew and negatively affect biological control agents that feed on it. Overall, we propose that honeydew management is integrated in pest management programs to contribute to sustainable agriculture.

Original languageEnglish
Article number101151
JournalCurrent Opinion in Insect Science
Volume61
Early online date12 Dec 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2024

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