Potential of native perennial flowering plants to enhance conservation biological control in agriculture

Unsustainable farm practices, such as overuse of pesticides, intensive soil manipulation, and monocropping, are major factors affecting global food security and environmental sustainability. Traditional pest management practices primarily rely on conventional insecticides and genetically engineered methods; however, some insect pests have developed resistance to these strategies. In response to the increasing need for ecologically based pest control, this experiment aims to establish a sustainable approach to suppress pest populations while decreasing pesticide applications. This research will be conducted over two years at Harold Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, Kentucky State University. Five native perennial plants: thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana), slender mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), and gray-headed coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) will be planted in six plots with four replicates using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Insect specimens will be collected using a vacuum sampling method to observe the attractiveness of the major predators and pests to these native plants. The study will also examine the olfactory response of pink lady beetles (Coleomegilla maculata) and Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) to the chemical volatiles of these native plants through Y-tube olfactometer trials under laboratory conditions to explore their roles in pest management. This research is expected to demonstrate that the strategic use of companion plants can serve as an effective ecological tool to enhance biological control to decrease pest populations.