Contribution of spiders to the biological control of phytophagous insects in urban and suburban agricultural systems in Cuba
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Abstract
Spiders are recognized for their diversity and potential as regulators of insect populations in agricultural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of spiders to the biological control of phytophagous insects in urban and suburban agricultural systems in Cuba. Field observations were made in various production systems, including traditional fields, hedgerows, flowerbed headers, crop associations and living barriers, identifying the spider species present, their associated plants, and the phytophagous insects they regulated. Relevant interactions between five families of spiders and thrips were identified on Tagetes erecta flowers, with a preference for the yellow-flowered variety. Furthermore, Leucage regni was observed to weave webs in cabbage crops associated with carrots, contributing to the control of Plutella xylostella. It was concluded that the conservation of spiders in agricultural systems, through the promotion of cultivated plants and auxiliary vegetation that provide prey and shelter, facilitates the biological control of phytophagous insects, improving pest self-regulation and habitat quality.
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