Intercropping garlic at different planting times and densities for insect pest or crop yield and value management in tobacco fields

Abstract

Although the densities of tobacco pests have been decreased in garlic-tobacco fields, further studies are needed to judge the effects of garlic transplanting densities or times on tobacco pests in tobacco fields. Therefore, field experiments were conducted in Liancheng County in Longyan City, Fujian Province, in China in 2014 and 2015. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) abundance, the species or abundance ratios of enemies and pests, the intercropping effects and the tobacco yield and crop value showed that the effects of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter on pests were stronger than those of other treatments. Aphid abundance was significantly lower in transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter than in the other treatments. The ratio between enemies and pests in transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter was higher than those in the other treatments. The intercropping effects of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic transplantation at a density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter on Myzus persicae, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius), Heliothis assulta Guenee and Nezara viridula Linnaeus were significantly stronger than those of the other treatments, whereas the effects of transplanting tobacco 15 days after garlic transplantation at a garlic density of 5.85 individual plants per square meter on Agrotis ypsilon (Rottemberg) were significantly stronger. Additionally, the yield and crop value of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic was transplanted at a density of 5.85 individual plants m À2 were higher than those of the other treatments. Therefore, our study demonstrated that the model of transplanting tobacco 10 days after garlic was transplanted at a density of 5.85 individual plants m À2 is an optimal management strategy to control flue-cured tobacco pests and to acquire higher crop yield in garlic-tobacco fields.

Effects of Crop and Grass Intercropping on the Soil Environment in the Karst Area

“…The research on intercropping patterns at home and abroad includes food crops and cash crops [2], green manure crops [3], medicinal crops [4], fodder crops, and so on [5,6]. Its advantages are reflected in increases in crop yields [7], suppression of weeds and insect pests [8], increases in unit land productivity [9], repair of soil pollution [10], and protection of the environment [11], all of which contribute to the development of modern agriculture. Compared with single planting, intercropping can maximize soil advantages, reduce soil water evaporation and leakage, improve crop water-use efficiency, and optimize the soil water environment for crop growth and development [12].…”

Plant volatiles mediate Aphis gossypii settling but not predator foraging in intercropped cotton

“…Similar observations have been made in tobacco crops, where garlic volatiles repel M. persicae, slow its colonization dynamics and reduce incidence of (aphid-vectored) viral diseases. 75,76 Hence, when crop diversification is not desired or feasible, these volatile compounds possibly can be released in aphid-susceptible crops such as cotton or tobacco and could help to reduce insecticide application rates.…”

Influence of soil characteristics on the concentrations of Cr, Pb, and Zn in tobacco leaves from Longyan, China, and the associated predictive models

“…For instance, Liu et al (2016) reported on the variability of soil nutrients in Longyan [16], while Qian et al (2019) explored soil pH dynamics [17]. Chen et al (2018) identified key aroma components in Longyan tobacco leaves [18], and Lai et al (2015) examined the benefits of intercropping garlic for soil health and tobacco quality [19]. Despite these comprehensive studies, there remains a notable gap in systematic analysis of the impact of soil attributes, particularly heavy metals, on the specific heavy metal content within tobacco leaves in real-world settings.…”