I am an entomologist with an interest in arthropod-mediated ecosystem services to enhance sustainable agriculture in different crop systems.
My main project explores alternative cover crops in commercial seedless watermelon fields to boost pollinators, natural enemies and the ecosystem services they deliver. I am investigating whether a combination of i) alternative flowering cover crops, e.g., hairy vetch, with ii) threshold-based recommendations, i.e., only spray insecticides when pests exceed economic thresholds, and iii) not supplementing with managed pollinators, relying on wild bees, can minimize agricultural inputs. Preliminary results suggest that sustainable watermelon production can underpin similar or even greater yields compared to the conventional production system.
On a second project, I am investigating whether intense insecticide programs combined with cereal rye can trigger secondary pest outbreaks, specifically of spider mites. Growers claim spider mites use rye as a green bridge to move into the watermelon plants while routine pyrethroid applications reduce natural enemies, which could control to some extent spider mites.
