Diversity and ecological role of macro insects on cultivated chili pepper using barrier crops

Abstract

Habitat manipulation by planting plants in the land or around crops is a way to increase the diversity of insects. The homogeneity of the agricultural landscapes leads to a decrease in insect biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study focuses on examining the diversity and ecological role of macro insects in chili pepper using barrier crops. We use mung beans, tomatoes, and eggplants as barrier crops in the practice of cultivating chili pepper. The results showed that the use of barrier crops is not obviously increasing the diversity of insects. However, chili pepper land with mung beans barrier shows the abundance and number of species were the highest. In control treatment (land without barrier crops), the composition of herbivore insects tends to be lower when compared to land using barrier crops. No clearly difference between chili pepper lands that use barrier crops and control treatment to elevate beneficial insects.