Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Pei-Chen Hsu, Yaw-Jen Dong*, Yan-Hsiu Yang, Chi-Ling Chen, and Hsien-Tzung Shih

Abstract:

A field survey was conducted during 2014–2020 for lady beetles in different types of farming fields in Chiayi County Sikou farm and Yunlin County YuinLin branch Station. Results showed that 11 and 12 lady beetles were captured with yellow sticky paper in Sikou farm and YuinLin branch Station, respectively. Among lady beetles, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) was the most dominant lady beetle in all types of framing fields, occupying 83.1% and 79.2% of the total lady beetle number separately. There was no difference in lady beetle species and quantity between conventional and sustainable agroecosystem fields and also between second crop season lowland paddy and upland groundnut fields. Significantly fewer lady beetle species in second crop season upland fields than first crop season paddy. Insecticide application significantly reduced lady beetle species and quantity in farmer-practiced fields compared with no chemical-treated conventional agriculture and sustainable agriculture fields in Sikou farm. The results of our tests showed that C. sexmaculata was the most dominant lady beetle in different types of farming fields. This study presents useful information for future workers to develop biological control strategies for paddy pests, which will be useful in reducing the farmers' dependence on harmful chemical pesticides. However, there is a need to conserve C. sexmaculata these important beetles by avoiding the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides.

Key words:Paddy, Conventional agroecosystem, Sustainable agroecosystem, Lady beetle, Long-term ecological research

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