#National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) Regional Station, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India.
£College of Agriculture, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India. E mail: nihariraj@yahoo.co.in
$Agromet Cell, Agricultural Research Institute, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Seed Research and Technology Centre, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500 030, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Investigations were carried out to evaluate the effect of six guard crops viz., maize, jowar, bajra, brinjal, sunflower and redgram against whitefly, Bemisia tabaci and consequent spread of Tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) in tomato during summer seasons of 2008 and 2009. Maize raised as guard for tomato crop acted as a very good barrier as it recorded low incidence of ToLCV. Among the six guard crops, brinjal and sunflower harboured whiteflies, while the vector population was not recorded in other guard crops. Brinjal acted as a good trap crop and confined the vector to itself, which resulted in reduced incidence of ToLCV and increased the yields in tomato.
Bemisia tabaci, Tomato leaf curl virus, guard crops, maize, brinjal, barrier crops, Lycopersicon esculentum
