Effective biological control agents that can provide sustainable pest control need to be researched in further detail; functional plants (or non-crop insectary plants), in particular, are garnering increased research interest. Much remains to be learned as to how non-crop plants can augment biological control in greenhouse systems. In this study, we combined laboratory and greenhouse assays to assess the extent to which basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) (Lamiales: Lamiaceae) affected the biological control of aphids by the predatory lacewing Chrysopa pallens (Rambur) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). In the presence of the target prey (peach aphid; Myzus persicae (Sulzer)), both the vegetative and flowering stages of basil enhanced C. pallens longevity and (early-age) fecundity as compared to a control treatment. When basil plants were established near aphid infested eggplants (Solanum melongena L.), the C. pallens colonization rate improved by 72–92% in the short-term. Lacewing colonization patterns were modulated by the basil planting density and spatial arrangement (i.e., perimeter planting vs. intercropping). Under high density intercrop arrangements, C. pallens colonization rates were highest, its populations persisted longer in the crop, and the aphid numbers declined more rapidly. Our work shows how basil enhanced the key fitness attributes of a generalist predatory lacewing and benefitted aphid biological control in a greenhouse setting.

Banker plant systems can be used to sustain a reproducing population of biological control agents (BCAs) within a crop, thus providing long-term pest suppression. The founder population of natural enemies in banker plant systems is usually mass-reared on factitious hosts. Thus, a better understanding of the population fitness and pest control performance of mass-reared BCAs in the field is crucial when developing integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. In this study, we determined the fitness of the generalist predator, Chrysopa pallens (Hemiptera: Chrysopidae) ever cultured on different food sources (i.e., mass rearing food, Corcyra cephalonica eggs, and aphid food, Megoura japonica) preying on Aphis craccivora in a banker plant system in a greenhouse based on Chi’s age-stage, two-sex life table analysis method. The life tables and predation rate parameters of C. pallens were not significantly different between both treatments under fluctuating temperature conditions. Corcyracephalonica eggs did not significantly weaken the performances of C. pallens in a Vicia faba–A. craccivora banker plant system compared to aphids. In conclusion, C. cephalonica eggs can be used for the mass production of C. pallens as the founder population in a banker plant system. Moreover, linking the life table data with the predation rate is an effective strategy for evaluating mass rearing programs in establishing banker plant systems.

Arthropod natural enemies—encompassing predators and parasitoids—form the backbone of sustainable agriculture, delivering irreplaceable ecosystem services via biological pest suppression. Driven by global demand for eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic pesticides, research in this domain has grown sharply over the past decade. Here, we report a systematic bibliometric analysis of 6515 Web of Science Core Collection papers focused on arthropod natural enemies in biological control (2016–2025), with the goal of charting the field’s intellectual structure. Performance metrics confirmed an initial rapid increase from 2016 to 2019 followed by a plateau and a slight rise in 2025, with the US, China, and Brazil dominating output. Keyword co-occurrence networks pinpointed core themes, including conservation biological control, predatory mites, and integrated pest management (IPM). Temporal trends further revealed a pivot toward applied work on invasive pest systems. Co-citation analysis uncovered six foundational research clusters, while bibliographic coupling of 2021–2025 papers uncovered five active emerging subfields: landscape ecology and habitat manipulation, tri-trophic interaction mechanisms, high-impact invasive pest biocontrol, non-target risk assessment for introduced agents, and fall armyworm integrated management. We synthesize cross-cutting implications and outline future priorities—including AI-enabled rearing systems, functional biodiversity boosting, climate adaptation, and multifunctional landscape tuning. By consolidating historical progress and forward-looking directions, this framework empowers researchers, extension practitioners, and policymakers to scale sustainable pest management worldwide.

Banker plant systems have the advantages of introducing natural enemies preventively and maintaining by providing alternative prey, thus controlling the pests sustainably. Banker plant systems are usually composed of three factors: a banker (secondary) plant, an alternative prey, and a shared predator (attacking an alternative prey on the secondary plant, and the targeted pest on the crop). However, for most banker plant systems, there is a lack of understanding regarding the dynamic relationship among these elements, with detrimental effects on practical applications. Therefore, in this study, the control of Myzus persicae on Capsicum annum by the Coccinella septempunctata–Megoura japonica–Vicia faba banker plant system was used as the research system. The effects of different release time of predators, different initial numbers of alternative prey (Me. japonica) and different initial ratios of target pests/alternative prey on the indirect interaction of two aphids and the biological control effect of shared predators were tested. The occurrence of indirect interactions between the two aphid preys, the impact on population dynamics, and biological control effectiveness of the shared predator C. septempunctata were investigated. When the initial numbers of both species of aphids were equal (200 each), the delay between aphid and C. septempunctata introduction in the cage had no effect on My. persicae, but Me. japonica showed lower numbers when testing the least time between predatory introductions. When the numbers of the two aphids were manipulated, the My. persicae population was significantly reduced by the predator only at a ratio of My. persicae to Me. japonica < 1, while initial ratios ≥ 1 enabled My. persicae population growth. In 1–6 days, the control effect of C. septempunctata was the best. Principal component analysis showed that the experimental time, initial numbers of Me. japonica, and relative numbers of Me. japonica affected the predation of My. persicae by C. septempunctata. In addition, when the initial aphid ratio was greater than 1/4, C. septempunctata was able to effectively control My. persicae. Overall, our study confirmed the number-mediated indirect interaction (apparent competition) relationship and its impact on prey population dynamics. We provide useful information for optimizing banker plant systems, to boost biocontrol of aphid pests.

Soil contamination by cadmium (Cd) poses an increasing threat to agricultural ecosystems and may disrupt biological pest control mediated by natural enemies. However, the multigenerational effects of Cd stress on parasitoid reproductive strategies and performance, particularly in species with contrasting ovigeny syndromes, remain poorly understood. Here, we compared the short-term (F1) and long-term (F5) effects of host-mediated Cd exposure on the synovigenic Trichogramma cacoeciae and the proovigenic T. dendrolimi. Cadmium exposure did not shift the core oviposition rhythm of either species, demonstrating that ovigeny syndrome represents a canalized life-history trait robust to multigenerational heavy metal stress. For the synovigenic species T. cacoeciae, F1 Cd exposure extended female lifespan and elevated lifetime parasitism, consistent with a hormetic stress response; by contrast, continuous Cd exposure across 5 generations (F5) suppressed early-age oviposition and total reproductive output, reflecting cumulative physiological fitness costs. In contrast, T. dendrolimi showed no significant changes in survival, daily parasitism pattern, emergence rate, or percentage of female progeny under Cd stress, except for a reduction in total parasitism after F5 exposure. These findings demonstrate that synovigenic species exhibit greater plasticity and stage-dependent responses to transgenerational Cd stress, whereas proovigenic species appear more robust. Our results provide empirical evidence for how heavy metal pollution influences parasitoid life-history traits and fitness across generations, and offer practical guidance for selecting resilient biological control agents in Cd-contaminated agricultural landscapes.

Cadmium (Cd) is a pervasive heavy metal pollutant in agricultural ecosystems, posing toxic threats to crop productivity, food safety, and the efficacy of biological control programs. The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis is a destructive lepidopteran pest of maize in East Asia, while Trichogramma ostriniae serves as the most widely applied egg parasitoid for the sustainable management of this pest in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. However, the cascading effects of sublethal Cd stress transmitted from herbivorous hosts to egg parasitoids remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the sublethal effects of dietary Cd exposure (5.0 mg/kg) on the development and Cd bioaccumulation of ACB, and subsequently evaluated the parasitism performance of the egg parasitoid T. ostriniae reared on Cd-contaminated host eggs. Results showed that chronic Cd exposure did not significantly affect larval weight, male pupal weight, or female pupal weight of ACB, but significantly increased female adult body weight, indicating stage-specific stimulatory effects. Cd concentrations in larvae, female pupae, and female adults of ACB were markedly elevated following dietary exposure, with the highest Cd loads detected in female pupae (41.23 mg/kg). However, maternal Cd transfer to eggs did not result in a statistically significant increase in egg Cd concentration. Notably, parasitism by T. ostriniae on Cd-contaminated ACB eggs significantly increased the number of eggs parasitized, although offspring emergence rate and female progeny ratio remained unaffected. This study fills the research gap regarding the trophic transfer of Cd between ACB and T. ostriniae, clarifies the complex bottom-up effects of Cd pollution on host–parasitoid interactions, and provides empirical references for the rational deployment of T. ostriniae as a biocontrol agent in Cd-contaminated maize fields.