1Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai, 625 104, Tamil Nadu, India
2National Institute of Biotic Stress Management, Raipur, 493 225, Chhattisgarh, India
Dryland Agricultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Chettinad, 630 102, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author's e-mail: parthitnau@gmail.com
Online published on 5 November, 2018.
Field experiment was carried out during 2014–2015 at DARS, Chettinad, Sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu to find out cost-effective groundnut based inter-cropping system for the management of key insect pests. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea Linnaeus; Variety: VRI II) when intercropped with bajra (Pennisetum glaucum L.; Variety: Co 7), maize (Zea mays L.; Variety; Co 6) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.; Variety: Co 30) 4: 1 ratio harboured significantly less mean population of sucking pests viz. leafhopper, Empoasca kerri Pruthi, Aphids, Aphis craccivora Koch and Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood recording 23.05, 24.81 and 25.47 nos./10 plants, 21.27, 23.52 and 22.44 nos./2.5 cm shoot and 11.15, 12.62 and 12.19 nos./5 leaflet respectively, whereas intercropping with redgram (Cajanus cajan L.; Variety: VBN (Rg) 3), marigold (Tagetes erecta L.; Variety: MDU 1), sesame (Sesamum indicum L.; Variety: Co 1) and onion (Allium cepa L.; Variety: Co 1) recorded high mean population as compared to other cropping systems while groundnut as pure crop recorded the highest mean population of 33.14 nos./10 plants, 33.22 nos./2.5 cm shoot and 19.00 nos./5 leaflet respectively.
Aphis craccivora, Empoasca kerri, Intercropping system, IPM Scirtothrips dorsalis.
