Potential of Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata as a trap crop for large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae infesting Indian mustard, Brassica juncea

Abstract

The large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae (L.), is an important pest of Indian mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., and inflicts heavy damage to all the above ground plant parts with strong yield reducing impacts. Farmers have few practical options other than to spray insecticides to protect their crop. In this study, an attempt was made during 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 crop seasons at Ludhiana, India, to evaluate Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata A. Braun as a trap crop to manage this pest as an alternate pest management strategy. B. carinata borders surrounding B. juncea were compared to chemically protected B. juncea and control (without B. carinata borders) plots for their effects on P. brassicae infestation and grain yield. Oviposition preference of adult butterflies was studied in a two-choice test in field cages, while the effect of two host plants on larval performance was studied under laboratory conditions under no choice conditions. B. juncea plots bordered with B. carinata harbored significantly lower larval population compared to control B. juncea plots during both the seasons. The grain yield in the bordered plots was also significantly higher than that from control plots and was statistically non-significant from that obtained in chemically protected plots. Female butterflies showed distinct oviposition preference for B. carinata over B. juncea and the larvae reared on B. carinata completed development in shorter period and grew bigger and heavier than those reared on B. juncea. Results indicated that B.carinata has potential to be used as trap crop to manage P. brassicae.Keywords Brassica carinata Á Brassica juncea Á Oviposition preference Á Pieris brassicae Á Push-pull strategy Key message• With the aim to provide environmentally sound ''alternative'' pest management strategy against Pieris brassicae, Ethiopian mustard was evaluated as a trap crop around Indian mustard. • Ethiopian mustard is highly preferred for egg laying and feeding by adults and larvae, respectively, compared to Indian mustard and can be used as an effective trap crop against this pest. • However, further research is required to optimize trap cropping system for maximum efficiency under field conditions.

Application of Trap Cropping as Companion Plants for the Management of Agricultural Pests: A Review

“…(Brassicaceae)) as a trap crop to aid in managing the major lepidopterous pests Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and Crocidolomia binotalis Zeller (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on cabbage, and Charleston and Kfir [49] also reported that, as a trap crop, Indian mustard ( B. juncea ) can attract diamondback moths ( Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)) from several economically important cruciferous crops. A similar outcome was found in recent trap crop research, when Indian mustard ( B. juncea ) was protected by Ethiopian mustard ( Brassica carinata A. Braun (Brassicales: Brassicaceae)) as a trap crop to control Pieris brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) [50]. Furthermore, to suppress flea beetle Phyllotreta spp.…”

Trap Crops and Insectary Plants in the Order Brassicales

“…However, since P. xylostella adults feed on nectar from L. maritima (Winkler et al 2009b), attraction to L. maritima could be due to feeding on the flowers rather than to ovipositing on the plant. Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata A. Braun, has been tested successfully as a trap crop for the large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) (Kumar 2017). For another specialist herbivore, the cabbage head caterpillar, Crocidolomia pavonana Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Chinese cabbage, B. rapa subsps.…”

Oviposition Preference of the Cabbage Root Fly towards Some Chinese Cabbage Cultivars: A Search for Future Trap Crop Candidates

“…Moreover, if the trap crop is unsuitable for larvae (dead-end trap cropping), bad mother choice can be exploited to reduce the local population of the pest [18], limiting future crop damage. Numerous studies have revealed which plant hosts are preferred by major phytophagous insect pests and which are less appropriate for their larvae, with potential use in trap crop strategies [19][20][21]. However, preferences of insect pests have often been studied at the supraspecific or specific taxonomic levels while the wide infraspecific diversity created by plant breeding and varietal creation remains largely unexplored.…”