Abstract

AMARO, Fernanda et al. Processing tomato: biodiversity and ecological infra-structures. Rev. de Ciências Agrárias [online]. 2008, vol.31, n.2, pp.43-49. ISSN 0871-018X.

In this study, we address the theory behind the ecological functions provided by biodiversity and ecological infra-structures, as well as their role in enhancing the performance of natural enemies, in agrarian ecosystems. This study focuses on the processing tomato agrarian ecosystem. In this crop, the key pest is the tomato fruitworm, which is followed by a complex of natural enemies, essentially parasitoids. This parasitoid complex has been monitored from 2002 to 2004 under the scope of the project AGRO 189 - “Integrated pest management in processing tomato”; it has been observed that this community is present in the field every year and may strongly influence the populations of the tomato fruitworm. Some field observations that arose during field studies are addressed and interpreted bearing in mind the availability of ecological infra-structures present in the fields surveyed, namely aspects related to population dynamics of both the key pest and its natural enemies, and to the biodiversity of the parasitoid complex. Assuming that natural enemies and pests benefit differentially from ecological infrastructures, the possibility of habitat manipulation of agrarian ecosystems in order to favour antagonists is discussed.

Keywords : processing tomato; biodiversity; ecological infrastructure; tomato fruitworm; parasitoid.

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