The influence of intercropping with Allium on some insect populations in potato (Solatium tuberosum)

Two field experiments were conducted in West Java, Indonesia to investigate the effects on insect populations in a potato crop of intercropping with Allium cepa or A. sativum. Intercropping reduced populations of Myzus persicae, Aphis gossypii and Empoasca spp. when less than 0.75 m separated the potato plants and Allium spp. Leaf damage to potato by Henosepilachna sparsa was also reduced at this spacing; but populations of Thrips palmi or T. parvispinus were increased. The implications of these trends are noted.     

The economics of monocropping and intercropping by smallholders: The case of coconuts in Indonesia

This article contains a comparison of the profits of cultivating modern and traditional varieties of coconuts as a monocrop and as an intercrop, in ideal and in average growing conditions, with good and with average management. We carry out the analysis from a private (financial) and from a national (economic) perspective. The results show that intercropping generates more income than monocropping. In the conclusion we discuss why development organizations and Third World countries encourage monocropping.     

Belowground Interactions in a Vine (Vitis vinifera L.)-tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea Shreb.) Intercropping System: Water Relations and Growth

In the Mediterranean area, the introduction of cover crops in vineyards is hampered by the risk of severe competition for water. Belowground interactions are still not very clear in this perennial-herbaceous association. This work was aimed at characterizing the development of the root systems of associated crops and the soil water dynamics. It also investigated whether water competition could be the cause of vine vigour and yield reductions. Experiments were conducted in a 4-year-old association (vine – tall fescue) and in a weed controlled vineyard. Water transfers in the soil were estimated on the basis of the soil water potential and soil hydrodynamic properties. The vine root system was concentrated in the soil under the row, whereas the intercrop highly colonized a soil compartment under the inter-row to a depth of approximately 1 m. Despite this spatial complementarity in root distribution, intercropping reduced the amount of soil water available for the vine crop. The low soil water content reduced soil water conductivity thereby limiting water transfers, despite a significant gradient in the soil water potential. This conductivity did not differ significantly between treatments but the intercrop enhanced the infiltration of winter rainwater, probably by limiting surface runoff. There was temporal complementarity in this association since the period of intense water uptake by the intercrop occurred earlier than noted for the vine under bare soil conditions. Nevertheless, the competition for water was limited by better refilling of the soil water profile during winter in the intercropped treatment. The intercrop clearly interacted with the vine and decreased its vegetative vigor. Since predawn leaf water potential and stomatal conductance did not differ among treatments, mechanism(s) other than competition for water (e.g. nutrient competition, allelopathy) may be responsible.     

利用DGGE法研究不同种植体系中根际微生物群落结构

利用DGGE技术研究不同间作和轮作种植体系对作物根际细菌和真菌群落结构的影响.运用16SrDNA和18SrDNA特异引物对,将土壤中提取的总DNA进行PCR扩增后,通过DGGE技术对PCR产物进行分析,结果表明:玉米-蚕豆轮作对蚕豆根际细菌和真菌群落结构影响明显,二者都与单作蚕豆有较大差异;小麦/蚕豆间作明显改变两种作物根际细菌群落结构和蚕豆根际真菌群落结构;玉米/蚕豆间作明显改变玉米根际细菌、真菌群落结构和蚕豆根际真菌群落结构.     

Intercropping cucumber with amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) to suppress populations of major insect pests of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

A study was conducted in 2007 and 2008 to investigate the effectiveness of grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) planted at different times in an amaranth/cucumber intercrop to reduce the density of cucumber insect pests. Cucumber varieties, Marketmore and hybrid F_1, were established from seed as a monocrop or intercropped with amaranth, and with amaranth established at two weeks before cucumber (2 WBC) on the same day as cucumber (SDC) or two weeks after cucumber (2 WAC). The population of cucumber beetles and fruit flies was lower with amaranth established 2 WBC and SDC than with 2 WAC. Populations of the insects were influenced by cropping system and time of introducing amaranth. Fruit damage by cucumber beetles and fruit flies was lower with 2 WBC and SDC than with 2 WAC. However, the damage was reduced in the intercrop compared with the monocropped cucumber. With SDC, the reduction was about 75 and 50% in 2007 and 2008, respectively. In intercrops and monocrops, cucumber fruit yield was influenced by the time of inter-cropping; in the mono- and inter-crop, the highest yield was with SDC. The highest land equivalent ratios for cucumber were 1.0 and 0.7 in 2007 and 2008, respectively, with SDC. Planting amaranth and cucumber on the same day (SDC) achieved effective control of cucumber insect pests.     

Evaluation of legume intercrops on the population dynamics and damage level of burrowing nematode (Radopholus similis) in banana (Musa spp.)

Radopholus similis is the most destructive plant parasitic nematode in banana production systems. A glasshouse experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of legume intercrops on R. similis population and damage level in banana. A trial was laid out in a randomised complete block design with five treatments and five replications. The treatments were banana/cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) intercrop, banana/sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) intercrop, sole banana, sole banana with nematicide (Fenamiphos) and sole cowpea. Sunn hemp intercrop was suppressing R. similis population densities and reduced banana root damage the most compared to tested treatments. The legume intercropped banana plants had a significantly higher fresh root mass as the sole-cropped banana with nematicide while the sole-cropped banana without nematicide had significantly lowest fresh root mass. Sunn hemp and cowpea legumes are recommended for adoption by smallholder banana farmers as alternatives to nematicide use.     

Efficacy of intercropping and harvest time modification for reducing field infestation of maize by Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Most management practices of Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, a field-to-post-harvest insect pest of cereals, have focused on post harvest control methods. This experiment was designed to investigate the potential of cropping system and modification of time of harvest to control S. zeamais. Intercropping and harvest time modification had significant (P < 0.05) effect on the number of S. zeamais emerging 42 days post-harvest. For the early harvest (15 weeks after planting (WAP)), the mean number of S. zeamais recorded from a maize monoculture (7.39) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the mean numbers of weevils emerging from a maize–soybean intercrop (2.31), but not significantly higher than the number recorded in maize–groundnut (3.87) intercrop. For the late harvest (18 WAP), the mean number of emerged adult observed in the maize–soybean intercrop (6.13) was significantly lower than the mean number of adult emerging from the monocrop maize (13.24). Maize–groundnut intercrop did not significantly reduce field infestation of S. zeamais compared with monocrop maize. Percentage weight loss observed in early harvested maize was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower than what was observed in late-harvested maize. Percentage weight loss was highest in stored maize harvested from monocrop maize plots for the early harvest, whereas intercropping maize with soybean reduced percentage weight loss when harvest was delayed.     

CO2浓度和磷对不同种植方式玉米大豆生长效应研究

通过顶置光源植物生长室控制380和760 μmol·mol-1 2个CO2浓度水平,研究了磷缺乏与正常供磷条件下,CO2浓度升高对玉米/大豆间作、玉米单作和大豆单作3种种植模式下作物株高、茎粗、叶面积及干物质积累的影响.结果表明:(1)CO2浓度升高能显著增加单/间作玉米、大豆的株高、茎粗、叶面积、根干重、地上部干重及总干重.(2)CO2浓度升高对供磷水平下单、间作玉米大豆的株高、茎粗、叶面积及干物质积累量增加的正效应均大于缺磷处理.(3)两种CO2浓度下,间作大豆与单作大豆生长差异不显著,而间作玉米较单作玉米有明显的生长优势,且供磷和CO2浓度的升高均能够促进这种优势.     

施磷对间套作玉米叶面积指数、干物质积累分配及磷肥利用效率的影响

通过2011、2012年连续两年田间试验, 研究了“小麦/玉米/大豆”间套作体系中不同施磷处理（小麦0、45、90、135、180 kg P₂O₅·hm^-2, 记为WP₀、WP₁、WP₂、WP₃、WP₄; 玉米0、37.5、75、112.5、150 kg P₂O₅·hm^-2, 记为MP₀、MP₁、MP₂、MP₃、MP₄）对玉米叶面积指数、干物质积累动态和磷肥利用效率的影响.结果表明: 在玉米与小麦共生期, 施磷明显增加了玉米叶面积指数（LAI）和群体光合势（LAD）, 促进了茎、叶干物质的积累（DMA）; 玉米拔节以后LAI、LAD、生长率（CGR）和DMA均随磷肥施用量的增加呈先增加后减少的趋势, 最大值都出现在MP₂或MP₃处理; 玉米生殖生长期营养器官的干物质输出随着磷肥施用量的增加而增加.玉米籽粒产量和体系总产量均随磷肥施用量的增加先增大后减少,都以P₃处理为最高,分别为6588和11955 kg·hm^-2.玉米磷肥表观利用率（PARE）以MP₂处理最高（26.3%）,分别比MP₁（14.4%）、MP₃（19.0%）、MP₄（10.4%）处理高82.6%、38.4%和152.9%.综上,在麦/玉/豆间套作体系中,适量施用磷肥可促进玉米的生长、减轻小麦对玉米的影响,同时可提高玉米当季磷肥利用率,玉米的磷肥施用量在75～112.5 kg P₂O₅·hm^-2为宜.     

小麦与蚕豆间作系统施氮对蚕豆赤斑病发生和冠层微气候的影响

通过田间小区试验,设N₀(0 kg·hm^-2)、N₁(45 kg·hm^-2)、N₂(90 kg·hm^-2)、N₃(135 kg·hm^-2)4个施氮水平,研究不同施氮水平下小麦与蚕豆间作对蚕豆赤斑病发生和冠层微气候的影响,探讨间作系统氮肥调控下冠层微气候变化及其与蚕豆赤斑病发生的关系.结果表明: 施氮提高了蚕豆单、间作种植模式下蚕豆赤斑病发病盛期的病情指数,增幅27.2%～58.0%,增加了病情进展曲线下面积(AUDPC),增幅15.0%～101.8%,N₃水平下赤斑病病情指数和AUDPC最高.施氮使蚕豆冠层温度降低0.2～1.1 ℃,冠层透光率降低1.7%～29.7%,冠层相对湿度增加0.5%～28.7%.与单作相比,间作蚕豆赤斑病病情指数显著降低36.3%～48.1%,AUDPC显著降低44.0%～53.6%,冠层温度和透光率分别提高2.1%～8.7%和12.0%～53.8%,相对湿度降低11.6%～31.6%.相关分析表明,冠层温度和透光率与赤斑病病情指数呈显著负相关,而湿度与病情指数呈显著正相关.表明高氮恶化了冠层微气候环境,加重了蚕豆赤斑病的发生和危害,而间作对蚕豆冠层微气候的改善是控制蚕豆赤斑病发展的重要原因.