Wind born pollen effect on arthropod populations in agricultural fields in the northern Negev, Israel

Abstract: One of the alternatives for chemical pesticides currently being developed is theimprovement and/or conservation of the natural biological control services provided by theagricultural field, a practice known as conservation biological control. In and around agriculturalfields there are many predators and parasitoids which provide ecological services as naturalenemies of pest species. In this research plants providing wind-borne pollen are used in a habitatmanagement scheme to enhance natural enemy diversity in desert agriculture to achieve pestcontrol. Pollen providing plants will be used in two systems – orchard crops and perennial herbfields – and total pest and predator populations will be monitored.