Ecological engineering for rice pest suppression in China. A review

Abstract Ecological engineering for pest suppression aimed at promoting ecosystem services of biological control, involves a range environmentally-benign approaches to conserve and promote arthropod natural enemies suppress populations, thus reduce the need insecticide use. Major components in rice management involve providing vegetation that favors parasitoid overwintering during fallow seasons, growing nectar-producing flowering plants on bunds enhance biocontrol function, planting trap around fields minimize initial populations pests. Complementary tactics using sex pheromone traps mass-releasing Trichogramma spp. parasitoids densities Lepidoptera pests, synergistically culturing ducks or fish other planthoppers. After decade laboratory field research accompanied by on-farm demonstrations, ecological has shown growth both underlying body theory practical adoption, especially China. have been listed as China National Recommendation Ministry Agriculture Rural Affairs People’s Republic (MARA) since 2014. We feel this is worth documenting, because only portion work reported English-language journals so would otherwise remain “invisible” international scientific community. This study first time systematically review allowed rapid development uptake China, highlighting priorities future will prospects agricultural systems internationally.