Field evaluation of a prototype tractor-mounted vacuum system for mechanical control of heteropteran pests in field crops: first evidence from European agroecosystems.

Heteropteran pests are economically important in field crops, and nonchemical alternatives are increasingly needed within integrated pest management (IPM). We evaluated a prototype tractor-mounted vacuum system (TMVS), a pneumatic device for the mechanical removal of heteropteran pests, in a 3-yr field study across soybean, sunflower, sorghum, alfalfa, and buckwheat. To our knowledge, this represents the first field-based evaluation of such a system under European agronomic conditions. Heteropteran abundance was assessed before and after TMVS passage using visual plant assessment and sweep-net sampling. Across all crops and years, TMVS passage was associated with reductions in heteropteran abundance, with responses driven primarily by nymphs. Visual assessments showed significant reductions in nymphs (44.8%) and total heteropteran abundance (37.5%), whereas adult reductions (15.5%) were not significant. Sweep-net sampling showed mean total abundance declining from 41.58 to 20.50 individuals m-2 (50.7%), with significant reductions in adults (41.9%), nymphs (58.0%), and total heteropteran abundance, and proved more sensitive than visual assessment. Forward speed (3.1 vs. 6.0 km h-1) produced comparable reductions, whereas the Narrow throttle-valve airflow configuration increased proportional total reductions from 43.0% to 62.5% and significantly improved nymph removal. Across all sampling events, 7,618 heteropteran individuals were recorded, dominated by Miridae (49.4%), Nezara viridula (30.6%), and Halyomorpha halys (9.2%). These findings demonstrate that TMVS passage can produce immediate reductions in sampled heteropteran abundance under field conditions and support further evaluation of this technology as a complementary IPM tool in European agroecosystems. Additional studies are needed to optimize its operational performance and assess longer-term field efficacy.