Mr Jaher Ahmed1,2, Dr. Jonathan Finch1, Dr. Stephen Quarrell1, Dr. Saleh Mohammad Adnan2

1University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia, 2NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wollongbar, Australia

Biography:

Jaher Ahmed is currently doing a PhD at TIA, University of Tasmania, and his research is on the conservation biological control of Rubus. He is an off-campus student based at the NSW department of primary industry, Wollongbar. Mr. Jaher graduated in agriculture and completed his first masters in entomology and second masters in MEDfOR (Mediterranean forestry and natural resources management), an Erasmus Mundus alumnus. He has been working in pest management of fruit and vegetables crops and phenology of bark beetles in cork oat forests. His research interests highlight conservation biological control, insect-plant interaction, and pollination ecology.

Abstract:

Conservation biological control (CBC) aims to achieve natural pest regulation through supporting beneficial arthropods in agricultural ecosystems. CBC generally involves the addition of floral resources to provide SNAP (shelter, nectar, alternate prey, and pollen) to promote predators and parasitoids. While flowering plants have been evaluated for the enhancement of beneficial insect populations in a wide range of horticultural crops, there have been no trials in subtropical raspberry cropping systems. In this study, we carried out field trials at two separate commercial farms to test the performances of 18 flowering plant species to promote natural enemies in raspberries. Fortnightly arthropod sampling was undertaken during the summer production cycle. The presence of arthropods was visually assessed in representative flowers. Subsequently, arthropod samples were obtained by shaking the flowers in an enclosed sampling bag. Zinnias, Basil, Buckwheat, Cosmos, Coriander, and Alyssum attracted significantly more arthropods (Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera) compared to other plant species, particularly during early flowering and full bloom periods. Among the recovered arthropods, Hemipterans, followed by Coleopterans were the most abundant insect orders. Overall, the present study identified multiple flowering plants that could be deployed for conservation biological control in raspberry crops.

Key words: Biological control, flowering plants, natural enemies, pests, Rubus

Corresponding author: jaher.ahmed@utas.edu.au