Conservation biological control of arthropod pests using native plants

Habitat or vegetation manipulation is a strategy within conservation biological control, yet, its formal study is relatively recent and lacking in many parts of the world, particularly when using native plants. We found 56 studies dealing with native plants and conservation biological control, from 2002 to 2022. Most were carried out in developed countries, and studied the provision of flower resources to natural enemies’ complexes in several crops. The main gaps in knowledge, similar to studies with non-native plants, were the lack of understanding mechanisms, unknown effects on pest populations, and absence of cost–benefit analyses. Breaching these gaps will allow this strategy to be more transferable among cropping systems and locations and will promote its use by farmers. [Display omitted] •Research on native plants use for biological control is recent and mostly in the United States.•Most studies deal with the provision of flower resources by species of Asteraceae.•Effects on natural enemies’ communities in a range of crops have been studied.•Effects on pest control and mechanisms explaining patterns are scarcely evaluated.•The cost/benefit analysis of these strategies needs to be incorporated in studies.