Diversity of Insect Pest in Monoculture and Polyculture Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) Plantation in South Aceh District

Abstract

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt) is one of the most potential plantation commodities in Indonesia. Among the locations of nutmeg production is in South Aceh, and most of them are smallholder plantations. The highly fluctuation in nutmeg productivity has pushed some farmers to change their plantation type to polyculture, although the others still maintain the plantations in monoculture type. The difference of plantation type is estimated to affect toward the ecosystem composition, including the composition of insects potentially as a pest in nutmeg. This study aims to determine the diversity of insects that have the potential as pests in both types of nutmeg plantations. This research was conducted on nutmeg plantations in Samadua and Meukek Sub Districts, South Aceh District. Insect collection was carried out by using light trap, pit fall trap, and yellow pan trap. Identification of the insects order was carried out at the Laboratory of Agriculture Faculty Teuku Umar University. The results of the data analysis showed that both types of nutmeg plantations had moderate pest insect diversity levels, diversity index in monoculture plantation 1.39 and polyculture plantation 1.8, respectively, where no group of orders dominated. There are 5 orders of insects known to have potential as pest insects in monoculture plantations, while in polyculture plantations are 6 orders and 2 orders of insects as vectors of plant diseases.