Brazilian study uncovers ants' potential in crop protection

Ants could be more effective than pesticides in pest control and management. So says research from the Federal University of Uberlândia in Brazil. They are better at reducing plant damage, killing pests, and increasing crop yields, according to the first review of the contribution of these insects to crop production.

The analysis examined 17 crops in countries including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil. In the paper published in Proceedings of Royal Society B., the researchers said that ″In general, with proper management, ants can be useful pest controls and increase crop yield over time. Some ant species have similar or higher efficacy than pesticides, at lower costs″.

Lead researcher Dr. Diego Anjos from the Federal University of Uberlândia in Brazil noted that ″our study encourages farmers to use more sustainable practices such as biological control provided by ants and practices of shaded crops as a way to naturally promote ants in crop systems″.

Ants are generalist predators and hunt pests that damage fruits, seeds and leaves and cause a decrease in crop yields. According to the study, greater ant diversity tends to provide more protection against a wider range of pests.

There are more ants than any other type of insect, and they make up half of the biomass of these organisms on the planet. At least 14,000 species of ants are known, and it is likely that many more are unknown. Citrus farmers in China have used ants on their crops for centuries, and the insects have also been used to help control forest pests in Canada, cocoa pests in Ghana, and crop pests in Nigeria.

The role of ants in agriculture is still not entirely clear, so they can also become a problem. Pests such as mealybugs, aphids and whiteflies, which produce a sugary water called honeydew, tend to be more prevalent when ants are present. This is because the ants feed on the honeydew and thus essentially ″farm″ the aphids like cattle and in return protect them from predators.

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