Intercropping Kale with Culinary Herbs Alters Arthropod Diversity
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HORTSCIENCE 53(1):44–48. 2018. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI12010-17 simultaneously in the same area throughout all or part of their cycle (Albuquerque et al., 2012), bringing benefits to agricultural pro- Intercropping Kale with Culinary duction. In a recent and thorough review (which evaluated more than 500 experiments Herbs Alters Arthropod Diversity and in 45 studies), the benefits of intercropping were clearly demonstrated (Letourneau et al., Hinders Population Growth in Aphids 2011). Among such benefits, increases in the diversity and abundance of natural enemies Ana Regia Alves de Araujo Hendges1, Jose Wagner da Silva Melo, and the suppression of pest populations were Marcelo de Almeida Guimaraes, and Janiquelle da Silva Rabelo detailed. Thus, crop diversification can be Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceara, Mister Hull used as a strategy for optimizing pest man- agement in crops with serious phytosanitary Avenue, 2977, Fortaleza, Ceara 60356-001, Brazil problems, such as kale. Additional index words. Brassica oleracea var. acephala, Allium fistulosum, Coriandrum From this perspective, the aims of the sativum, Ocimum basilicum, Petroselinum crispum, polyculture, Myzus persicae present study were 1) to evaluate whether intercropping kale with condiment crops [green Abstract. The aim of this work was to evaluate arthropod diversity and levels of onion (A. fistulosum), coriander (C. sativum), population growth in Myzus persicae (Sulzer) under kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. basil (O. basilicum), and parsley (P. crispum)] acephala DC) intercropped with green onion (Allium fistulosum L.), coriander (Corian- could promote changes in the structure of the drum sativum L.), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), and parsley [Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) arthropod community (diversity and abun- Nym.]. The following characteristics were evaluated under both monocrop and intercrop dance); 2) to analyze whether intercropping systems: 1) arthropod diversity and abundance, 2) population growth rate in the M. could reduce populations of the M. persicae persicae aphid, 3) average number of aphids per kale leaf, and 4) total fresh weight of aphid; and 3) to evaluate the economic benefits produced kale. The experiment was carried out in Fortaleza, in the state of Ceara, Brazil, of intercropping by the total fresh weight of in a design of randomized blocks, with five treatments and five replications. The family kale produced under the different cropping Aphididae was the most abundant, represented by M. persicae. Thirty-nine spiders were systems (monocrop and intercrop). the most abundant predators. The intercrop with basil gave the greatest diversity of arthropods. The aphid population showed slower growth under the intercrop systems Material and Methods with cilantro and with parsley. Fresh weight production in the kale was inversely proportional to the number of aphids on the plants. The results suggest that intercrop- Characterization of the study area. The ping kale with culinary herbs is a promising strategy to reduce aphid populations and study was carried out between Aug. and Nov. losses occasioned by them. 2015 in an experimental area in Fortaleza, in the state of Ceara, Brazil (03°44#S, 38°34#W, at an altitude of 21 m). According to the Kale (B. oleracea L. var. acephala) is one important pest in these crops throughout the Koppen€ classification, the climate in the re- of the most widespread vegetables of the world (Blackman and Eastop, 2000; Collier gion is tropical with dry summers (Alvares Brassicaceae family found worldwide and Finch, 2007; Gallo et al., 2002). The et al., 2014). (Fernandes et al., 2009). In Brazil, it repre- damage caused by the insects is because of During the study, the average air temper- sents a major share of vegetable production the continuous sucking of sap from the ature was around 28.1 °C, with the minimum (Silva et al., 2012) and is of great economic phloem tissue and the transmission of plant air temperature varying between 21.4 and interest, especially for family farmers. viruses. The most visible damage from such 23.6 °C and the maximum air temperature Kale cultivation is considered a high-risk an attack is shriveling and chlorosis of the between 29.0 and 32.4 °C. The relative activity because of severe phytosanitary prob- leaves and shoots (Blackman and Eastop, humidity ranged from 57.7% to 80.7%, with lems, especially with pests (Marcolini et al., 2000; Collier and Finch, 2007; Gallo et al., an average value of 66.6%. The accumulated 2005; Silva et al., 2012). In areas cultivated with 2002; Saethre et al., 2011). rainfall in the period was 11 mm. We ob- kale, there are frequent infestations by the In general, the control of aphids in kale tained the data from the meteorological cabbage aphid [Brevicoryne brassicae L. (Hem- crops has mainly been through the use of station of the Universidade Federal of Ceara. iptera: Aphididae)], green peach aphid [M. insecticides (Bass et al., 2014). However, Experimental design and experimental persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae)], di- aphids exhibit a great ability to develop unit. We used a randomized block design amondback moth [Plutella xylostella L. (Lepi- resistance mechanisms that allow them to with five treatments and five replications. The doptera: Plutellidae)], kale leafworm [Ascia survive exposure to insecticides at concen- treatments consisted of kale grown as a mono- monuste orseis Latrielle (Lepidoptera: Pieri- trations normally considered toxic (Bass crop and intercropped with culinary herbs: dae)], cabbage looper [Trichoplusia ni Hubner€ et al., 2014; Georghiou and Lagunes-Tejada, monocrop of kale, kale intercropped with (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)], and whitefly [Bemi- 1991). In these situations, some producers coriander, kale intercropped with green on- sia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodi- assume that the survivors did not receive ion, kale intercropped with parsley, and kale dae)] (Filgueira, 2008; Gallo et al., 2002). a lethal dose and may react by increasing intercropped with basil. The aphids attack not only kale, but also the pesticide dosage or the frequency of One experimental unit comprised a total numerous other species, being considered an application. area of 2.88 m2. We grow the kale at a spacing Continuous spraying during the harvest of 0.6 · 0.6 m. For the intercropped treat- period, where the kale leaves are periodically ments, the culinary herbs were arranged removed over short periods of time, has between the rows of kale. The spacing of Received for publication 7 Apr. 2017. Accepted for resulted in the presence of insecticide residue the green onion was 0.2 · 0.10 m. We grew publication 16 Aug. 2017. above acceptable levels (ANVISA, 2011). the coriander and parsley in rows spaced This article is taken from the masters dissertation Chemical control has, therefore, become 0.20 m apart and at a seeding density of 4 g presented by the lead author. problematic, making it necessary to search of seed per linear meter. With the basil, we We thank the Nucleo de Estudos em Olericultura · do Nordeste (Centre for Vegetable Studies of the for new management strategies for the aphid adopted a spacing of 0.6 0.25 m. The Northeast—NEON) for their contribution in col- populations. working area consisted of the four central lecting data during the experiment. One alternative to the use of agrochem- kale plants, including the rows of culinary 1Corresponding author. E-mail: ana.alves@ifma. icals is control by intercropping. In inter- herbs between them in the intercropped edu.br. crop systems, two or more species grow treatments. 44 HORTSCIENCE VOL. 53(1) JANUARY 2018 DISEASE AND PEST MANAGEMENT Setting up and conducting the experiment. identification. Arthropods were observed given to ladybugs (Coccinellidae) which had We used the cultivars Manteiga da Georgia using a Zeiss stereomicroscope and identi- the highest abundance in the intercrop with (kale), Verd~ao (coriander), Todo Ano (green fied at least to the family level based on the basil, followed by the intercrop with co- onion), Grauda Portuguesa (parsley), and literature (Fujihara et al., 2011; Triplehorn riander. No coccinellids were seen in the Italiano (basil). We sowed the kale and the and Johnson, 2011). monocrop. basil in plastic trays of 162 cells filled with Data analysis. Data from the arthropod In general, the cropping systems influ- a substrate of earthworm humus and vermic- sampling were used for a faunistic analysis enced arthropod diversity (Table 1). The ulite (4:1 v/v). We transplanted the seedlings and for a study of the population fluctuation intercrop of kale and basil had the highest at 20 and 23 d after sowing (DAS), respec- of the aphids throughout the kale crop cycle. number of taxa (15), whereas the monocrop tively, for the basil and kale. We planted the The faunistic analysis was carried out based of kale and the intercrop with green onion green onion, coriander, and parsley in on the average number of arthropods sampled were the least diverse (five and six taxa, grooves made directly in the soil 8 d before in each treatment on each collection date, and respectively). Intermediate values were seen transplanting the kale seedlings. Two con- through such ecological parameters as rela- for the intercrops with coriander and parsley secutive crops of coriander were grown by tive abundance and diversity. Relative abun- (10 and 8 taxa, respectively). These results virtue of their shorter cycle in comparison dance represented the percentage participation are supported by the Shannon–Wiener in- with the other crops. of the number of individuals of each taxon in dices (H#), which indicate greater diversity Before planting, the soil was fertilized relation to the total number of individuals associated with the intercropped kale and with 12 kg·m–2 of organic compost (locally sampled. Diversity relates the number of basil (0.092), differing from the other crop- produced). We carried out cover fertilization taxa to the distribution of individuals among ping systems, especially the monocrop with organic compost every 2 weeks, begin- them.