Effect of Intercropping Between Garlic and Faba Bean on Yield and Infestation by Some Piercing-Sucking Insect Pests

Abstract

Faba bean is an important food crop in Egypt, with seeds of 22 % protein. In addition, it is considered a land reclaiming crop, as it enriches the soil with some nitrogen fertilizer. The current study was conducted at the experimental farm of Sakha Agricultural Research station to manage some piercing-sucking insects with unconventional methods. Garlic was intercropped with faba bean to find the repellent effect of garlic, as a volatile crop, against the abovementioned insects. The solid faba bean gave the highest values of faba bean yield, number of branches, pods and seeds per plant, as well as number of seeds / pod, 100-seed weight and protein content. On the other hand, these values, except plant height, were higher in case of intercropping faba bean with Balady garlic compared to Sids-40 garlic. Concerning garlic yield attributes, Balady garlic intercropped with faba bean produced higher values of bulb diameter and bulb weight / plant, as well as number of cloves per bulb and clove weight compared to Sids-40 garlic. In 2018 / 19 season, the population density of Aphis craccivora was reduced by 55.66 and 32.47 % due to intercropping between faba bean and Balady garlic or Sids-40 garlic, respectively. Empoasca lybica population was reduced by 54.67 and 35.72%, and that of Bemisia tabaci was 59.92 and 35.26 %. Similar results were obtained in 2019/20 season. The current results show that intercropping between faba bean and garlic enhanced the total net crop income, and helped in managing these insects.