Management of insect pests of cabbage with intercropping and their planting pattern

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted on the incidence of insect pests and natural enemies on cabbage, Brassica oleracea var. capitata. Seven treatments with combinations comprising of three intercrops (fenugreek, lucerne and turnip) with two (linear and square) patterns of planting were evaluated in 2016–17 and 2017–18. Square planting of cabbage with lucerne was observed to be the most effective planting pattern with the least population of Plutella xylostella (0.71 and 0.33/plant), Pieris brassicae (21.98 and 34.95 larvae/plant), aphids (228.25 and 186.13 aphids/plant) along with maximum occurrence of syrphids (1.94 and 1.93 maggots/plant). Also, maximum population of coccinellids of (2.65 and 3.21 grubs+ adults/plant), along with parasitization of P. xylostella (31.39 and 36.12%) and P. brassicae (32.18 and 36.20%) were observed when square planting of cabbage with turnip was followed.