Use of flower strips to attract pollinator insects and natural enemies in tomato crops

Abstract

Abstract The goal of this research was to analyze the effect of flower strips and the proximity of corn fields on the environmental services of regulation by insects (pollination and biological control) in tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum). The study was conducted using commercial tomatoes (6.200 m²) in the Brazilian Cerrado. The experimental outline was completely randomized with 15 plots of 5 x 4 meters, constructed with 16 tomato plants, in two treatments: 1) tomato plants without attractive flower strips (control) and 2) tomato plants with attractive flower strips of cilantro and sorghum. The sampling of pollinator insects and natural enemies was performed using trap-type bee bowls and active collection. Data were analyzed by generalized linear models (GLM) to compare insect diversity and abundance between treatments. As a result, the richness (p = 0.040) and abundance (p = 0.030) of pollinating insects were significantly higher in tomatoes with sorghum flowers than in the control. The effect of mixing strips of intercropped flowers (cilantro and sorghum) increased the abundance (p = 0.007) and richness (p = 0.005) of the total natural enemies and pollinators in richness (p = 0.030) and abundance (p = 0.020) in the tomato plants with the flower strips compared to the tomato plants without the strips. Our results clearly show that the use of attractive flower strips of the mix of cilantro and sorghum in interleaved periods with tomato plants contributes to the permanence of the services provided by insects to the crop field.