Compatibility of Intercropping with Mechanized Agriculture: Effects of Strip Intercropping of Pinto Beans and Sweet Corn on Insect Abundance in Colorado

Capinera, John L.; Weissling, Thomas J.; Schweizer, Edward E.

doi:10.1093/jee/78.2.354

Cited by 26 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In certain intercropping systems, synergistic effects were observed up to a strip width of eight meters [39], while in other systems, positive effects already declined with strip widths of one meter [40]. Nowadays, the majority of farm machinery in China has a working width of less than two meters.…”

Section: Adjust the Intercropping System To The Existing Machinerymentioning

confidence: 99%

How to Overcome the Slow Death of Intercropping in the North China Plain

et al. 2012

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Abstract:Intercropping has a strong potential to counteract the severe degradation of arable land in the North China Plain (NCP). However, a rapid decline of intercropping can be observed in the last decades. The present paper investigates the reason for this development and suggests solutions on how to adjust intercropping systems to fit modern agriculture. Firstly, the developments of socioeconomic conditions for farming were assessed, analyzing the statistical yearbooks of the seven provinces of the North China Plain. Secondly, a survey was conducted in the study region to understand the current state and future of intercropping systems. The investigations revealed that, due to limited off-farm income possibilities in the past, intercropping has been a viable solution to intensively use the limited land resources per farm household. However, a shift of rural laborers into other sectors has recently been observed. Thus, decreasing importance of income from agriculture and increasing labor costs are heralding the slow death of labor-intensive intercropping systems. Two possible solutions are discussed in the paper. Either the traditional row-intercropping systems can be transformed into stripintercropping systems that can be mechanized using existing machinery; or, new machinery has to be developed that enables the mechanization of the traditional row-intercropping systems. OPEN ACCESS

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Section: Adjust the Intercropping System To The Existing Machinerymentioning

confidence: 99%

How to Overcome the Slow Death of Intercropping in the North China Plain

et al. 2012

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“…The purpose of this study was to identify mechanisms underlying the response of the Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis Mulsant [Coleoptera: Coccinellidae]) to snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. [Fabaceae]) grown alone or intercropped with corn (Zea mays L. [Poaceae]). The influence of plant texture (i.e., plant patch size, density, and species diversity) on movement patterns of adult bean beetles has been well documented (Capinera et al 1985, Turchin 1986, McGuinness 1987, Andow 1990. In this study, we assessed separately the effects of host plant and total plant density, habitat structural complexity, and plant species composition on the bean beetle and its natural enemies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Nonhost Plant on an Insect Herbivore in Diverse Habitats

Coll¹,

Bottrell²

1994

Ecology

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Vegetation texture (i.e., plant density, species diversity, and structural complexity) may influence the abundance of a herbivore by affecting its movement, altering the suitability of host plants, and by changing the herbivore's vulnerability to attack by natural enemies. We investigated these effects on the Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis) on snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) growing in high—and low—density monocultures and intercropped with short (0.5 m) or tall (1.2 m) corn plants (Zea mays). Beetle populations consistently reached higher densities on beans in monocultures than on beans intercropped with tall corn. Neither bean plant density nor plant species diversity alone significantly affected beetle abundance. Instead, the presence of tall corn plants contributed most to lower bean beetle density in the tall corn—bean intercrop, primarily by reducing adult colonization. However, the tall corn also increased the suitability of intercropped bean plants to the beetles because adults preferred to feed on and larvae developed faster on beans in the tall corn—bean habitat. Host plant effects were independent of the influence of microclimate and risk of predation. Abundance of natural enemies of the bean beetle was low and overall, predator density and bean beetle larval survival did not differ significantly among habitats. However, it is difficult to predict the effect or mortality factors, such as natural enemies, on bean beetle populations because larval mortality over time was affected by habitat type (i.e., there was a significant interaction between habitat type and time). Our results were partially consistent with the resource concentration hypothesis. Whereas Mexican bean beetles colonized bean monocultures more readily than they did tall corn—bean diculture, the presence of more suitable host plants in the diculture acted to increase, rather than decrease, bean beetle density in the tall corn—bean habitat. However, higher adult feeding preference and faster larval development on beans in the tall corn—bean habitat did not offset lower adult colonization in this habitat.

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“…In intercropped strawberry with broad beans, F. occidentalis populations were kept below economic threshold levels (Gonzalez-Zamora et al, 1994). Lower densities of F. occidentalis occurred on sweet pepper in a tomatosweet pepper intercropping in comparison with the monocropping (Nihoul & Hance, 1994), and in a pinto beans -sweet corn intercropping system (Capinera et al, 1985). Effects of intercropping with clover undersown on thrips infestations in vegetable crops are also evident.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Effects of intercropping with clover undersown on thrips infestations in vegetable crops are also evident. So far, factors that were identified in suppression of F. occidentalis in intercropping, were related with predator activity (Letourneau & Altieri, 1983;Capinera et al, 1985). Whether reduction of pest populations was due to reduced colonisation, survival or reproduction is still unknown for the above mentioned thrips/intercropping combinations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased damage by western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis in chrysanthemum intercropped with subterranean clover

Belder¹,

Valcheva²,

Guldemond³

1999

Entomologia Exp Applicata

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Suppressive effects of intercropping on Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) infestations have been reported in several crops. However, this study demonstrates that in year-round chrysanthemum, Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev, undersowing with subterranean clover, Trifolium subterraneum L., results in an increased thrips feeding damage. In a pot experiment, performed with chrysanthemum plants (cultivars Reagan and Tiger) grown with or without subterranean clover, significantly more leaves with silver and growth damage were found in the chrysanthemum plants with subterranean clover in comparison with the monocropped chrysanthemum plants. Similarly, the degree of deformation of leaf perimeter and leaf surface was higher in the top leaves of the intercropped chrysanthemum plant. In the soil experiment (only performed with Tiger and plants were grown in the soil in the greenhouse) intercropped chrysanthemum plants suffered a higher feeding damage as well. Analysis of the relation between silver or growth damage and the thrips pressure demonstrates that at similar thrips pressure in the intercropped chrysanthemum plants suffered significantly more damage. The higher thrips pressure in the intercropped chrysanthemum only explains the differences in damage partly. Changes in the reaction of chrysanthemum plants to thrips feeding or in the behaviour of the thrips, mediated by the presence of the non-host crop, are discussed. Our explanation is that chrysanthemum plants grown with clover are more susceptible to thrips feeding than monocropped plants. We conclude that undersowing with clover does not contribute to reduce damage by F. occidentalis in year-round chrysanthemum. Also, the influence of crop diversification on a pest cannot be foreseen until the specific characteristics of each individual crop -pest system are studied.

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Compatibility of Intercropping with Mechanized Agriculture: Effects of Strip Intercropping of Pinto Beans and Sweet Corn on Insect Abundance in Colorado

Cited by 26 publications

References 16 publications

How to Overcome the Slow Death of Intercropping in the North China Plain

How to Overcome the Slow Death of Intercropping in the North China Plain

Effects of Nonhost Plant on an Insect Herbivore in Diverse Habitats

Increased damage by western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis in chrysanthemum intercropped with subterranean clover

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