Intercropping garlic plants reduces Tetranychus urticae in strawberry crop

Abstract

The effect of aromatic plants on number of twospotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch, when intercropped with strawberry were assessed in the field. During the first year, chives (Allium schoenoprasum L.), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), garlic (Allium sativum L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), or sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) were intercropped with strawberry. Assessments were performed on TSSM populations by taking six samples from July 20 to September 20, 2012. During the second year, garlic plants were intercropped between rows of strawberry at three densities in greenhouse and field. Mobile forms and eggs numbers (only in field) of TSSM were evaluated from April 18 to June 05 (greenhouse) and June 06 to August 14, 2013 (field). It was found that intercropping with garlic caused a greater reduction of TSSM (up to 52 %) in strawberry plants when higher populations of TSSM occurred in the field. TSSM reduction was found in one sample when fennel and chives were intercropped with strawberries (42 and 50 % reduction, respectively); this also occurred when populations of TSSM were higher. The three densities of garlic plants (one, two and three rows among the strawberry rows) reduced TSSM mobile forms by 49, 53 and 60 % (greenhouse) and 44, 51 and 65 % (field), and eggs by 38, 43 and 64 % (field), respectively. The results suggest that intercropping garlic plants between strawberry rows is a promising strategy to reduce TSSM populations.

Plant Acceptance for Oviposition of Tetranychus urticae on Strawberry Leaves Is Influenced by Aromatic Plants in Laboratory and Greenhouse Intercropping Experiments

“…TSSMs remained mostly in aromatic plants when an option to change to another leaf of the same plant was provided. No change from chives + strawberry to strawberry leaf alone indicates that chives may also be suitable for TSSM development, and this observation corroborates a previous field study, in which TSSM mobile forms were found in high numbers in chives plants intercropped in a strawberry field, probably for shelter [9]. Therefore, despite our promissory greenhouse results for chives uses in intercropping, because of lower TSSM populations when this aromatic plant was used (Tables 3 and 4), we suggest that its use must occur with parsimony, and TSSM control on chives leaves may be realized as needed.…”

“…Chives reduced the number of eggs laid per day by TSSM females (Table 2). Lower preference and performance may explain the present results obtained in the greenhouse (Tables 3 and 4) and the results obtained in previous study in which intercropping garlic reduced the number of TSSM mobile forms and eggs in strawberry when garlic was intercropped in the field [9]. Leaf and fruit damage caused by red spider mites (Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard) was also reduced by intercropping garlic in tomato fields [24].…”

“…in a Y-shaped olfactometer and reduced its population when intercropped with tomato in field experiments [8]. The TSSM populations were reduced when Amaryllidaceae plants were intercropped in strawberry Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne [9,10]. However, we did not find studies elucidating how aromatic plants reduce mite populations.…”

Laboratory and Semi Field Evaluation of Garlic Aqueous Extract as Acaricide Against Two Tetranychid Mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

“…There were no references found of other studies using garlic extracts on tetranychid mites in semi-field conditions. However, Hata, et al (2016) assessed the effect of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and other aromatic plants on number of two-spotted spider mite (TSSM), T. urticae, when intercropped with strawberry in the field. They found that intercropping with garlic caused a greater reduction of T. urticae (up to 52 %) in strawberry plants when higher populations of mites occurred in the field.…”

Intercropping Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel (Amaryllidaceae) reduces Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) populations in strawberry

“…(Musaceae) (zhanG et al 2013), and root-knot nematode on tomatoes (huanG et al 2016). The use of garlic, other Amaryllidaceae plant, as intercropping plant reduced TSSM populations by 65% in strawberry leaves in a previous study in field (haTa et al 2016).…”