Effect of living mulch on pest/beneficial interaction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cover crops on pest/beneficial dynamics and to test the potential of living mulch on enhancing biological control against insect pests. The research, carried out in the frame of the InterVeg (Core Organic II) project, involved four European countries: Germany, Slovenia, Denmark and Italy. Three crops were tested: cauliflower, leek and artichoke. The preliminary results obtained in Italy on cauliflower, indicated that the living mulch did not affect the infestation of the cabbage butterfly, Pieris brassicae, showing no detrimental effect of this technique on pest dynamics. A very high level of parasitization against cabbage butterfly was detected either in the living mulch crop (88%) and in the sole one (63%). Living mulch showed to increase the spider and rove beetle activity density, while the carabid activity density was slightly higher in the sole crop.