Population of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and insect diversity on intercropping potatoes with other plants which planting at different time

Abstract

Crop management has long been known influenced the development of pest populations on agroecosystem. Arrangement of crop by intercropping system on potato field expected to increase insect diversity and suppress populations of Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer). Crop management consists of sole potato, potato with cabbage, potato with celery, Potato with onion, potato with mustard, potato with bean and potato with carrot. The intercrop plants were planting at different time that is one week after potato, two weeks after potato and three weeks after potato. Observation and identification of insect begin at three weeks until 11 weeks after potato planting with an interval two weeks. The results showed that the planting time of intercrop plant no significant effect on the population of M. persicae and insect diversity index. The interaction of planting time and kind of intercrop plant has significant effect on population M. persicae and insect diversity index. There are different population dynamics of green peach aphid in different crop management. Obsevation at 9 th week after planting indicate that the lowest number of aphid found respectively in intercropping potatoes with celery, potato with mustard and cabbage. The interaction of planting time and kind of intercrop plant has significant effect on insect diversity index. Observation for insect diversity showed that the highest insect diversity index found at intercropping potato with mustard, potato with bean and potato with cabbage for all observation. In order to increasing the insect diversity, a few natural enemies of M. persicae found in the agro-ecosystem.