CRUCIFER HABITAT ENGENEERING AND ACTIVITIES OF DIAMONDBACK MOTH, PLUTELLA XYLOSTELLA (L.) AND IT’S NATURAL ENEMIES

G. Thanavendan; J.S. Kennedy

Volume : IV, Issue : XI, November - 2015

CRUCIFER HABITAT ENGENEERING AND ACTIVITIES OF DIAMONDBACK MOTH, PLUTELLA XYLOSTELLA (L.) AND IT’S NATURAL ENEMIES

G. Thanavendan, J. S. Kennedy

Abstract :

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of engineering the crucifer ecosystem with different intercrops systems on diamondback moth infestations and its parasitoid activity. studies were conducted on cauliflower and cabbage with five different intercropping system in minimizing the incidence of major insect pests. Cauliflower and cabbage were intercropped with crucifer and non–crucifer host plants such as raddish (Raphanus sativus hortensis L.), marigold (Tagetes erecta L.), onion (Allium cepa L.) tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) and sole crops of cauliflower and cabbage are recorded overall mean incidence of diamondback moth on five plants per plot as 5.00, 4.50, 4.42, 5.67 and 3.19 next to the farmer practices (1.31) and neem oil (3.21) and in cabbage 3.16, 3.64, 1.98, 1.94 and 1.85 next to the farmer practices(1.06) and neem oil (1.71) respectively. Cotesia plutellae incidence was highest when cauliflower and cabbage was intercropped with coriander (5.54 and 2.83), followed by neem oil and marigold (2.42 and 1.29). The results showed that cauliflower and cabbage, when intercropped with coriander harboured significantly less DBM larvae, when compared to other intercrops. All intercropping systems with non–crucifer plants significantly support parasitoid and reduced larvae of diamondback moth incidence than the sole crop of cabbage and cauliflower.