Agronomy Journal (2011) 103, 856-863

Rongquan Lai, Minsheng You, L.A.P. (Bert) Lotz and Liette Vasseur (2011)
Response of green peach aphids and other arthropods to garlic intercropped with tobacco
Agronomy Journal 103 (3), 856-863
Abstract: The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), is an insect pest that causes extensive damage to tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) in China. Field trials were conducted in 2008 and 2009 at Longyan in the Fujian Province (China) to evaluate the effects of garlic (Allium sativum L.) as a deterrent to green peach aphids and other arthropods when intercropped in flue-cured tobacco fields. This study demonstrated that green peach aphids were affected by intercropping garlic in tobacco fields during the 2 yr studied. The appearance of green peach aphids in intercropped tobacco fields was delayed for approximately 7 d by the presence of garlic. Aphid abundance was reduced by 100% in intercropped fields compared with monocultures, especially when populations peaked (34.7-39.0% in 2008 and 42.0-47.2% in 2009). Other arthropod populations were not negatively affected by intercropping garlic. Species richness, diversity, and stability of the arthropod communities increased and the dominance concentration index decreased in the intercropped garlic fields. The tobacco mosaic viruses (cucumber mosaic virus, potato virus Y, tobacco etch virus, and tobacco ring-spot virus) transmitted by green peach aphids were decreased by 9.6 to 42.4% in 2008 and by 22.1 to 27.9% in 2009 by intercropping garlic in flue-cured tobacco fields. The net benefits of cropping flue-cured tobacco were also increased by 52.1 to 80.2% by intercropping garlic in the tobacco fields. Therefore, intercropping tobacco with garlic may be useful in deterring green peach aphids and in stabilizing arthropod communities in tobacco.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Minsheng You, Liette Vasseur

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Myzus persicae	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)	China (south)
	Potato virus Y	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)	China (south)
	Cucumber mosaic virus	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)	China (south)
	Nepovirus nicotianae	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)	China (south)
	Tobacco etch virus	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)	China (south)