Flower strip farmscaping to promote natural enemies diversity and eco-friendly pest suppression in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)

ANIL MEENA; R K SHARMA; S CHANDER; D K Sharma; S R SINHA

doi:10.56093/ijas.v89i9.93508

Authors

ANIL MEENA PhD Scholar, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 India
R K SHARMA Head and Principal Scientist, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 India
S CHANDER Professor and Principal Scientist, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 India
D K Sharma Principal Scientist, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 India
S R SINHA Chief Technical Officer, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v89i9.93508

Keywords:

Farmscaping, Flower strip, Habitat manipulation, IPM, Natural enemies, Okra

Abstract

Investigations were conducted on flower strip farmscaping along with intercropping to promote natural enemy diversity and eco-friendly pest suppression in okra during kharif 2016 and 2017. Pooled data of both the years revealed that whitefly was lowest (7.66 /15 leaves) in biopesticides treated okra having baby-corn as an intercrop with flower plants strip. Likewise, a minimum population of leafhoppers (39.89/15 leaves), red spider mites (99.16/cm2/15 leaves) and lowest fruit infestation by fruit borer (9.60%) were observed on treated okra having cowpea as an intercrop with flower strip farmscaping. Maximum population of natural enemies, viz. coccinellids (5.40), spiders (6.38), Geocoris bug (2.47), rove beetles (1.99/5 plants) and carabid beetles (1.32/2 pitfall traps) were recorded on untreated okra with cowpea intercropping having flower strip farmscaping. Shannon-wiener index value was found lower for pests on okra treatments having flower strips, while index value was higher for natural enemies on same treatments.

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