DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF INSECT AND SPIDER FAUNA IN SOLE AND SOYBEAN INTERCROPPED COTTON

Abstract

Cotton, popularly known as the “white goldâ€Â in India is one of the important cash crops. India is the second largest exporter of cotton in 2019 exporting 65 lakh bales of 170 kgs and contributing 5% to agricultural GDP of our country and 11% to total export earnings. Insect pests constitute one of the major limiting factors in the production as the crop is vulnerable to attack by
about 162 species of insects and mites (Sundarmurthy, 1985). In cotton, intercropping can provide resources such as food and shelter and enhance the abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies (Mensah, 1999).
Plant diversification increases the population of various natural enemies, which subsequently enhances natural pest control. For many species, natural enemies are the primary regulating force in the dynamics of their
populations (Pedigo and Rice, 2009). Diversity of a crop ecosystem can be increased by intercropping, trap cropping, presence of weeds or by crops grown in the adjacent fields. When interplanted crops or weeds in the crop are also suitable host plants for a particular pest, they may reduce feeding damage to the main crop by diverting the pest (Cromartrie Jr., 1993).
The present study was taken up to quantify the abundance and diversity of insect fauna in the vegetative stage of cotton-soybean intercropped
system and compare with the sole cropped system and to comprehend the impact of increased diversity of natural enemies on pests in cotton.