ABSTRACT
The effects of 5m wide, feral vegetation field borders on insects and other arthropods in cotton and soybean fields were investigated through intensive sweep net sampling and visual inspections. Field borders appeared to enhance beneficial arthropod populations in cotton fields but had less effect on these organisms in soybeans. Lygus bug populations were higher in cotton fields with borders, as were bean leaf beetles in soybean fields with borders. Bollworm numbers and damage were significantly lower in fields of both crops with borders than fields without.
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