The Role of Flower Strips in Increasing Beneficial Insect Biodiversity and Pest Control in Vineyards

In ecosystems that have been disturbed by agricultural management, ecosystem services such as adequate pest control are also disturbed. Exploiting interactions between beneficial insects and plants can contribute to improving ecosystem service delivery and biological control. One of the effective methods of naturally increasing the biodiversity of beneficial insects on crop plantations is the use of plant strips. The aim of our work was to demonstrate the role of flower strips in the sustainable management of vineyards. In particular, the relationship between the composition and flowering time of plants in flower strips and beneficial insects such as predators, parasitoids, and wild pollinators from Central Europe and the Western USA was shown. Most plants used for flower strips belong to the Asteraceae family. The most attractive to beneficial insects were Eriogonum niveum, Ericameria nauseosa, and Purshia tridentata in the USA, while in the vineyard in Poland they were garden plant species but also native species, especially Erigeron annuus, Taraxacum ssp., and Polygonum persicaria. The planned replacement of flowering times of plant species was observed from March to October, which ensured continuity in the availability of food for beneficial insects. Appropriately selected plants can attract selected species of predators and parasitoids, which can regulate the number of a specific pest species. Diversifying agricultural ecosystems is a promising pest control strategy that reduces pesticide use and thus supports sustainable agriculture.