Quantifying biological control of pear psylla in a cover crop system
Author: David Horton, Tom Unruh, Vince Jones
Published: 2008
Summary: The objectives of this project were: 1. Estimate levels of psylla biological control in large plots of an alfalfa cover crop vs control (grass understory) plots; 2. Estimate movement rates of predators from orchard floor to tree and determine whether colonizing predators will then attack pear psylla (by simultaneous use of protein markers [Jones] and gut contents analysis [Unruh]). 3. Test whether alfalfa cover crop leads to increased nitrogen in trees having the alfalfa understory. 4. Expand project into 3 commercial organic orchards (funding by SARE and CSANR).
