Hedgerows enhance beneficial insects on farms in California's Central Valley

Hedgerows of native California shrubs and perennial grasses bordering field crops were examined for the abundance of beneficial and pest insects compared with adjacent weedy areas. During 2 years of sampling in the Sacramento Valley, hedgerows attracted more beneficial than pest insects, while weedy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCalifornia agriculture (Berkeley, Calif.) Vol. 65; no. 4; pp. 197 - 201
Main Authors Morandin, Lora, Long, Rachael F, Pease, Corin, Kremen, Claire
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of California 01.10.2011
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Subjects
Beneficial insects
Insect-plant relationships
Windbreaks, shelterbelts, etc
United States
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Summary:Hedgerows of native California shrubs and perennial grasses bordering field crops were examined for the abundance of beneficial and pest insects compared with adjacent weedy areas. During 2 years of sampling in the Sacramento Valley, hedgerows attracted more beneficial than pest insects, while weedy areas showed the opposite trend, attracting significantly more pest than beneficial insects. We conclude that replacing weedy areas at field crop edges with managed hedgerow plantings will sustain or increase beneficial rather than pest insects on farms.
ISSN:0008-0845
2160-8091
DOI:10.3733/ca.v065n04p197