Data from: Temporal snapshot of parasitoid wasp communities on three flowering plant species and implications for the regulation of the rosy apple aphid (Dysaphis plantaginea) in apple orchards
Data files
Jan 22, 2025 version files 35.77 KB
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apple_trees_observations_laffon_afe_2024.csv
10.51 KB
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braconidae_genus_laffon_afe_2024.csv
3.81 KB
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damages_laffon_afe_2024.csv
2.59 KB
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flower_plots_observations_laffon_afe_2024.csv
7.75 KB
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parasitoid_families_laffon_afe_2024.csv
4.06 KB
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README.md
7.06 KB
Abstract
Parasitoid wasps contribute to biological control services. Parasitoid adults are highly dependent on sugar-rich resources. Adding flowering plants providing nectar in crop fields promotes parasitoid wasps, but not always pest parasitism because addition of flowering plants may attract parasitoid species that are not directly involved in the control of crop pests. Here, in a factorial experiment conducted for one year in pesticide-free orchards, we analysed the effects of three common plant species (Capsella bursa-pastoris Medik., Veronica persica Poir. and Vicia sativa L.) in association with apple trees on parasitoid wasp recruitment and parasitism of one major apple pest, Dysaphis plantaginea (Passerini). We combined morphological and molecular identification to characterise the parasitoid communities associated with each plant species. Parasitoid communities were different between plant species. Plant effect on the abundance of the parasitoid wasps did not depend on the amount of floral resources provided by the tested plants. Over the whole season, the parasitoid wasp species Ephedrus persicae (Froggatt) and Aphidius matricariae (Haliday) involved in D. plantaginea parasitism accounted for 6% of the total parasitoid abundance and were mainly associated with V. persica plots. We observed a higher parasitism rate in apple trees associated with V. persica and a lower number of aphid colonies in apple trees associated with V. sativa. Hoverver, plant treatments had no effect, neither on the abundance of D. plantaginea in apple trees, nor on generalist predators and ants observed in aphid colonies in agreement with their limited implication in the aphid regulation.
README: Temporal snapshot of parasitoid wasp communities on three flowering plant species and implications for the regulation of the rosy apple aphid (Dysaphis plantaginea) in apple orchards
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.wwpzgmsvf
Description of the data and file structure
In a factorial experiment conducted for one year in pesticide-free orchards, we analysed the effects of three common plant species (Capsella bursa-pastoris Medik., Veronica persica Poir. and Vicia sativa L.) in association with apple trees on flower visitors abundance, natural enemies abundance, parasitoid wasp recruitment and Dysaphis plantaginea parasitism.
The data are divided into 5 datasets (observations and sampling on the flowering plant plots, observations on the apple trees associated with the flowering plant plots and on the control trees, observations of damaged apples at the end of the sampling sessions, identification of the parasitoids collected on the flowering plant plots at family level and identification at genus level for Braconidae).
Files and variables
File 1 : flower_plots_observations_laffon_afe_2024.csv
Observations and samplings on the flowering plant plots, under apple trees.
Variables
Cultivar : The experiment was carried out in two orchards. The first included apple trees of the Ariane variety and the second included apple trees of the Gala and Granny varieties.
Bloc : Eight blocks were established to account for the spatial heterogeneity of the orchards, including apple varieties and distances from hedgerows. The blocks are named: B, C, D, E, H, J, M and O.
id_patch : Each block consists of four experimental patches, one per modality. A patch consists of two trees surrounded by flowering plants or bare soil (control patches). For example, in block B, the patch identifiers (id_patch) are B1, B2, B3 and B4.
Treatment : three flowering plant species were tested as different plant treatments using bare soil as comparison.
VPER : Veronica persica
VSAT : Vicia sativa
CBUR : Capsella bursa-pastoris
BARE_SOIL : negative control
session
1 : mid-April (4/6/22)
2 : late April (4/22/22)
3 : early May (5/5/22)
4 : mid-May (5/19/22)
5 : early June (6/3/22)
floral_units_m2 : Number of floral units/m2. Individual flowers of V. persica *and *V. sativa and the number of inflorescences of C. bursa-pastoris *were counted since *C. bursa-pastoris flowers were much smaller than those of V. persica *and *V. sativa.
extrafloral_nectaries_m2 : Number of extrafloral nectaries/m2 (only for V. sativa). NA values indicate that the flowering plants have no extrafloral nectaries (V. persica and C. bursa-pastoris).
hoverflies : Number of hoverflies (visual observation, 5 min/plot)
parasitoid_wasps_visual_count: Number of parasitoid wasps (visual observation, 5 min/plot)
honeybees : Number of honeybees (visual observation, 5 min/plot). NA values indicate that the number of honeybees could not be estimate (e.g insects moving to fast).
wild_bees : Number of wild bees (visual observation, 5 min/plot)
butterflies : Number of butterflies (visual observation, 5 min/plot)
other_flies : Number of other Diptera (visual observation, 5 min/plot)
other_arthropods : Number of other arthropods (visual observation, 5 min/plot)
parastoid_wasps_handnet : Number of parasitoid wasps collected with a sweep net (4 sweeps per plot). NA value indicate that the number of parasitoid wasp could not be estimate (e.g damaged sample).
hoverflies_handnet: Number of hoverflies collected with sweep net (4 sweeps per plot)
other_arthropods_handnet : Number of other arthropods collected with sweep net (4 sweeps per plot).
File 2 : apple_trees_observations_laffon_afe_2024.csv
Observations of rosy apple aphids (RAA) and natural enemies (predators and parasitism) on apple trees associated with flowering plant plots or bare soil
Variables
Cultivar : The experiment was carried out in two orchards. The first included apple trees of the Ariane variety and the second included apple trees of the Gala and Granny varieties.
Bloc : Eight blocks were established to account for the spatial heterogeneity of the orchards, including apple varieties and distances from hedgerows. The blocks are named: B, C, D, E, H, J, M and O.
id_patch : Each block consists of four experimental patches, one per modality. A patch consists of two trees surrounded by flowering plants or bare soil (control patches). For example, in block B, the patch identifiers (id_patch) are B1, B2, B3 and B4.
Treatment : three flowering plant species were tested as different plant treatments using bare soil as comparison.
VPER : Veronica persica
VSAT : Vicia sativa
CBUR : Capsella bursa-pastoris
BARE_SOIL : negative control
session\
1 : mid-April (4/6/22)
2 : late April (4/22/22)
3 : early May (5/5/22)
4 : mid-May (5/19/22)
5 : early June (6/3/22)
hoverfly_eggs : mean number of hoverfly eggs per apple tree per plot
hoverfly_larvae : mean number of hoverfly larvae per apple tree per plot
hoverfly_pupae : mean number of hoverfly pupae per apple tree per plot
hoverfly_adults : mean number of adult hoverflies per apple tree per plot
ladybird_eggs : mean number of ladybird eggs per apple tree per plot
ladybird_larvae : mean number of ladybird larvae per apple tree per plot
laybird_pupae : mean number of ladybird pupae per apple tree per plot
ladybird_adults : mean number of adult ladybird per apple tree per plot
bugs : mean number of bugs (Miridae and Anthocoridae) per apple tree per plot
lacewing_eggs : mean number of lacewing eggs per apple tree per plot
lacewing_larvae : mean number of lacewing larvae per apple tree per plot
lacewing_adults : mean number of adult lacewings per apple tree per plot
earwigs_larvae : mean number of earwig larvae per apple tree per plot
earwigs_adult : mean number of adult earwigs per apple tree per plot
spiders : mean number of spiders per apple tree per plot
other_predators : mean number of other arthropods per apple tree per plot
estimated_RAA_number_per_tree : mean number of rosy apple aphids (RAA, D. plantaginea) per apple tree per plot. NA values indicate that the number of RAA could not be estimated (e.g. empty marked colony).
RAA_colonies : number of RAA colonies per tree
ant_occurence : 0 or 1, per tree
File 3 : damages_laffon_afe_2024.csv
The proportion of apples presenting aphid damage was measured at the end of June, by counting the number of distorted apples and the total number of apples on each tree of the monitored plots.
Variables
apples_per_tree : Total apple number per tree
apples_ground : Number of apples on the ground
distorted_apples : Number of distorted apples (i.e. RAA damages)
File 4 : parasitoid_families_laffon_afe_2024.csv
Identification of parasitoid wasps collected on flowering plots (family level).
File 5 : braconidae_genus_laffon_afe_2024.csv
Identification of parasitoid wasps belonging to the family Braconidae (genus level).
Methods
In a factorial experiment conducted for one year in pesticide-free orchards, we analysed the effects of three common plant species (Capsella bursa-pastoris Medik., Veronica persica Poir. and Vicia sativa L.) in association with apple trees on flower visitors abundance, natural enemies abundance, parasitoid wasp recruitment and Dysaphis plantaginea parasitism.