›› 2015, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (4): 391-399.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Regulation of dominant insect pests and natural enemies by intercropping tomato in cauliflower-based fields

XIA Ning1, 2, 3, 4, YANG Guang1, 2, 3, 4,*, YOU Min-Sheng1, 2, 3, 4,*   

  1. (1. Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; 2. FujianTaiwan Joint Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management of Fujian and Taiwan, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China; 4. Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Fuzhou 350002, China)
  • Online:2015-04-20 Published:2015-04-20

Abstract: 【Aim】 It has been documented that intercropping with tomato,  Lycopersicon esculentum , can suppress populations of the dominant insect pests in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) fields. The present study aims to find the optimal ratio of tomato intercropped for protection of natural enemies and suppression of insect pests in cauliflower-based fields. 【Methods】 The study was conducted in a provincial standard demonstration site located in Minqing County of central Fujian (26°10′41″N, 118°48′10″E). The experiment was designed with scaled-up intercropping ratios of 0%, 10%, 30% and 50% of tomato plants to the total plants in cauliflower-based fields, using a randomized-block arrangement. The species of arthropods and their numbers of individuals in the cauliflower fields were visually observed and recorded. 【Results】 The results showed that the number of individuals of  Lipaphis erysimi was significantly suppressed in the cauliflower-based intercropping fields and the inhibitory efficacy increased with increasing of the intercropping ratio of tomato (50%>30%>10%). The number of individuals of  Phyllotreta striolata  decreased significantly in the intercropping fields with 30% and 50% tomato plants as compared to that in the monoculture system of cauliflower, but with no significant difference between the intercropping systems with 30% tomato plants and with 50% tomato plants. Intercropping with tomato had no effects on the numbers of individuals of Pieris rapae  and spiders in the cauliflower-based fields. The number of individuals of  Cotesia plutellae and the ratio of  C. plutellae  wasps to  Plutella xylostella moths increased in the intercropping fields compared to those in the monoculture system of cauliflower, but with no significant differences among the three intercropping ratios. 【Conclusion】 The 30% intercropping ratio of tomato plants is most optimal for the control of insect pests in cauliflower-based fields.

Key words: Cauliflower, tomato, intercropping, insect pest, natural enemy