Reducing the abundance of leafhoppers and thrips in a northern California organic vineyard through maintenance of full season floral diversity with summer cover crop
Authors:
Clara Nicholls, Michael Parella, Miguel Altieri
Tags:
biocontrol, cover crops, grapes, habitat manipulation, leafhoppers, predators, thrips, vineyards
Journal:
Agricultural and Forest Entomology
Year Published:
2001
Policy Summary
This study examines vineyard systems with flowering crop cover characterized by lower densities of leafhoppers and thrips, and larger populations and more species of general predators, including spiders. Results indicate that habitat diversification using summer cover crops that bloom most of the growing season, supports large numbers of predators and parasitoids, thereby favoring enhanced biological control of leafhoppers and thrips in vineyards.
