Controlling the pests with the help of plants in organic vineyards

Summary

The capability of plants of increasing the ecosystem resistance to pests and invasive species is a well-known ecosystem service. However, monocultures (including vineyards) do not exploit the potential of plant diversity. The aims of this research are to develop new viticultural systems based on increased plant diversity within (e.g., cover crops) and/or around (e.g., hedges, vegetation spots, edgings) vineyards by planting selected plant species for the control of arthropods, soil-borne pests (oomycetes, fungi, nematodes), and foliar pathogens. In order to control pests, plants species can either i) repel arthropod pests, ii) attract arthropod pests to a trap crop or iii) attract and/or conserve beneficials. An extensive systematic literature was performed to identify plant species suitable for repelling or attracting target pests - Lobesia botrana Den & Schiff or conserving and promoting beneficials (including parasitoids, such as ichneumonids, braconids and general predators, such as carabid beetles, ladybirds, hoverflies and spiders). Here we present the results of this literature review.