Border Crop Research Articles

Insect conservation in agricultural landscapes needs both high crop heterogeneity and semi-natural habitats

Identifying landscapes that are suitable for both biodiversity conservation and agricultural production is a major challenge. Traditionally, much research has focused on biodiversity conservation outside of agricultural production areas, e.g., in semi-natural habitats. In contrast, recent research has mainly focused on the potential of crop heterogeneity. This includes both compositional (crop diversity) and configurational heterogeneity (field border density). However, if and how crop heterogeneity, and semi-natural habitats interact to shape insect diversity in agricultural landscapes remains poorly understood. Here we investigated the combined effects of crop diversity, field border density, and semi-natural habitats (i.e., grassland proportion, hedge density) on insect diversity. We sampled insect communities from 14 – 17 June 2021 with pan traps in 27 study landscapes (500 m x 500 m) covering independent gradients of these landscape variables and identified a total of 587 insect species with DNA metabarcoding. We found that field border density mediated the effects of crop diversity, grassland proportion, and hedge density on insect richness. At low levels of field border density (i.e., landscapes with mostly large fields), effects were either neutral (crop diversity), negative (grassland proportion) or weakly positive (hedge density). By contrast, at high levels of field border density, crop diversity, grassland proportion, and hedge density all exerted positive effects on insect richness. Responses to crop heterogeneity and semi-natural habitat differed among trophic groups of insects (decomposers, herbivores, parasitoids, predators). While variation in richness of herbivorous insects followed the patterns of the overall richness, decomposer richness was not related to any of the investigated variables. Predator richness increased with hedge density in landscapes, whereas parasitoid richness increased when high levels of field border density and grassland proportion coincided. Our study shows that increasing crop heterogeneity is a viable strategy for promoting insect diversity in agricultural landscapes. However, the effects of the amount of remaining semi-natural habitats, such as grassland or hedges, are mediated by configurational heterogeneity, and vary between trophic groups. Efforts to conserve insects in agricultural landscapes must therefore focus on both increasing the heterogeneity of the crop matrix by promoting crop diversity and increasing the density of field borders, while also maintaining or restoring semi-natural habitats as important source habitats for insect species.

Push-Pull Intercropping Increases the Antiherbivore Benzoxazinoid Glycoside Content in Maize Leaf Tissue.

Push-pull technology refers to a promising mixed cropping practice for sustainable agricultural intensification, which uses properties of intercrop and border crop species to defend a focal crop against pests. Currently, the most widely practiced system uses Desmodium spp. as intercrop and Brachiaria or Napier grass as border crops to protect maize (Zea mays) against both insect pests and parasitic weeds. Several previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of the push-pull system, but research on the underlying chemical mechanisms has mostly been limited to laboratory and glasshouse experiments that may not fully reproduce the complexity of the system under natural conditions. To address this limitation, we performed a large-scale study in farmer-operated push-pull maize fields in three east African countries. We compared maize leaf extracts from plants grown on push-pull fields with maize from fields employing conventional agricultural practices to assess the influence of push-pull cultivation on the maize metabolome. We identified two benzoxazinoid glycosides, which are known to have antiherbivore properties and were present in greater relative abundance in push-pull-cultivated maize leaves across three countries. Our data thus suggest that maize cultivated under push-pull has an increased resistance to herbivore attack compared to maize grown under conventional local agricultural practices.

A novel CatractNetDetect deep learning model for effective cataract classification through data fusion of fundus images

Cataracts are common eye disorders characterized by the clouding of the lens, preventing light from passing through and impairing vision. Various factors, including changes in the lens’s hydration or alterations in its proteins, may contribute to their development. Regular eye examinations conducted by an ophthalmologist or optometrist are imperative for detecting cataracts and other ocular conditions early on. Manual checks by caregivers pose several problems, including subjectivity, human error, and a lack of expertise. Biomedical fusion involves combining or linking various characteristics specific to certain diseases from different medical imaging resources. The primary objectives of this approach in disease classification are to reduce the error rate and increase the number of retrieved features. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes associated with fusing visual features related to left and right eye cataract characteristics. Additionally, we investigate the impact of limited variability in deep learning models, specifically in the classification of cataract fundus versus normal fundus images. To address this issue, this study introduces CataractNetDetect, an innovative multi-label deep learning classification system that fuses feature representations from pairs of fundus images (e.g., left and right eyes) for the automatic diagnosis of various ocular disorders. Our focus is on achieving improved performance by stacking discriminative deep feature representations to combine two fundus images into a unified feature representation. Several deep learning architectures are utilized as feature descriptors, including ResNet-50, DenseNet-121, and Inception-V3, enhancing the resilience and quality of representations. Fine-tuning of these DL architectures is conducted using the ImageNet dataset, followed by an integrated stacking approach combining ResNet-50, DenseNet-121, and Inception-V3 models. The model is trained on the publicly available ODIR-5k dataset, which includes 5000 left/right eye images depicting eight different ocular conditions, ranging from healthy states to uncommon ailments such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetes, hypertension, and myopia abnormalities. Moreover, extensive preprocessing of the images is performed, including data augmentation, noise reduction, contrast enhancement, scaling, and circular border cropping. The CataractNetDetect system demonstrates F1-scores, AUC, and maximum validation scores of 98.0%, 97.9%, and 100%, respectively. This ensemble-based model distinguishes itself by surpassing the performance of conventional established methodologies, including ResNet-50, DenseNet-121, and Inception-V3, thereby underscoring its efficacy in diagnostic applications.

Integrating Metarhizium anisopliae entomopathogenic fungi with border cropping reduces black bean aphids (Aphis fabae) damage and enhances yield and quality of French bean

French bean growers, rely mainly on pesticides for pest management. The acceptable tolerance for pesticides residue in French beans is a major concern and has led to several tonnes of the crop continuously rejected and listed as unsafe for human consumption. There is growing demand for alternative approaches and products that are effective at managing pests without the side-effects associated with reliance on pesticides. A field study to determine the combined effects of Metarhizium anisopliae, (Metarril WP E9 and Biomagic) biopesticides and border crops (Sunflower and wheat) on aphid population, damage severity, growth, yield and quality of French bean. A two-factor experiment was conducted at the Egerton University, Kenya. First factor included two border crops (sunflower and wheat) and no border crop (control). Second factor included spraying Metarril WPE9 (2 × 108 cfu/g), Biomagic (2 × 108 cfu/ml) biopesticides, alpha-cypermethrin (synthetic insecticide) and water. Data on growth, yield and quality parameters were collected and analyzed using the SAS version 9.4M8. Results showed that M. anisopliae and border crop significantly (p < 0.0005) enhanced growth, yield and quality of French bean in both seasons. French bean grown with wheat or sunflower borders showed a significant reduction in aphid population (p < 0.0001) and damage severity (p < 0.0001) when sprayed with various treatments compared to the control. Plots with wheat border caused an increase in collar diameter of French bean. The plots (Metarril and wheat border) caused a 4 % and 5 % increase in marketable yield, a 2 % and 12 % reduction in non-marketable yield. To exploit the benefits of biopesticides, the study recommends their integration with and border crops. Thus, French bean growers could benefit more from fungal-based biopesticides in aphid-IPM approach, as it reduces pre-harvest intervals and residues compared to synthetic insecticides.

Ground beetle movement is deterred by habitat edges: a mark-release-recapture study on the effectiveness of border crops in an agricultural landscape.

Border crops can increase beneficial insect biodiversity within agricultural fields by supplementing insects with food and nesting resources. However, the effectiveness of border crops relies on insect movement between adjacent habitats and some insects might consider habitat boundaries as barriers. Therefore, understanding insect movement between habitats is needed to determine the effectiveness of border crops for ecosystem services such as pest control within agricultural habitats. Our objective was to compare ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) movement across soybean plots that were bordered by corn and grassland habitat to determine whether habitat boundaries were considered barriers of movement to predatory beetles. Using a grid of pitfall traps within these habitats, we conducted a mark, release, and recapture experiment to track and evaluate ground beetle movement patterns. We found that ground beetles stayed in the habitat of their release and that movement between habitats, despite the type of bordering habitat or type of edge, was uncommon. We also found that long-distance movement was rare as most beetles moved less than 5 m (regardless of release or recaptured habitat) and movement was perpendicular to habitat edges. These results suggest that any edge habitat, including agricultural-agricultural boundaries and natural-agricultural boundaries, are likely barriers to ground beetle movement. Therefore, in order for border crops to be effective in pest management by ground beetles, making habitat edges more permeable, especially using techniques such as edge softening, could promote cross-habitat movement and ultimately contribute to natural pest control in agricultural systems.

Effects of mowing on the arthropod community in grass buffers and adjacent crop fields.

Grass buffers are commonly planted along crop borders to filter nutrient and pesticide runoff. These buffers also provide food and shelter for beneficial and herbivorous arthropods and can serve as corridors for their movement into neighboring crops. Mowing is a common maintenance practice to control woody plants in these buffers. Field experiments were conducted to determine whether mowing influences the movement of arthropods into neighboring soybean plantings (Glycine max L) and impacts their abundance in corn (Zea mays var. indentata) the following spring. Results showed that mowing had varying effects on the abundance of herbivores, saprovores, parasitoids, and predators, particularly in the grass buffers. Aerially active arthropods in the plant canopy were more adversely affected by mowing than surface-dwelling arthropods. Mowing significantly reduced grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) density in the buffers, but did not trigger their movement into adjoining soybean fields. Parasitoids, predators, and thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) were dissimilarly affected by mowing, and their responses were influenced by grass type. Altogether, these findings indicate that mowing did not cause notable movement of arthropods from grass buffers into adjoining crops and had minimal effects on the community of beneficial arthropods the following spring. Also, there were no differences in the level of insect feeding injury in crop fields next to mowed and unmowed buffers.

Assessment of Bioefficacy of Chilli Pepper Capsicum frutescens (L.) and its Intercropping on the Performance and Insect Pests Management of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea L.)

A study was conducted at the Yaba College of Technology Instructional and Research Farm in 2022 and 2023 wet and dry seasons to determine the bio-efficacy of chilli pepper, (Capsicum frutescens (L.)) and its intercropping on the growth, yield and insect pest management of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.)). The experiment was laid out in a 3×4 factorial experiment in Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 treatments (chilli pepper extract at 200l/ha, 250l/ha, and local control) at 3 replications in alternate intercropping, strip cropping, border cropping, and sole cropping arrangement. The chilli pepper aqueous extract at 200 l/ha and 250 l/ha sprayed on the Bambara groundnut plants were sprayed as scheduled from 10 am to 12 noon with the view of protecting it with aqueous extract of chilli pepper on 12 plots of 60 ridges. Data were collected on growth parameters of Bambara groundnut at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after planting, pest population, assessment of thrips and legume pod borer, assessment of both nymph and adult of legume pod borer and pod sucking bugs, pod density, pod damage, grain yield, yield loss and assessment of phytotoxicity signs using Analysis of Variance. Results showed that 250 l/ha aqueous extract treated plots reduced the number of insect pests including thrips (4.67±1.09), legume pod borer (1.76±0.35), legume pod borer nymph (1.08±0.10) adults of pod borers (1.18±0.11) and pod sucking bugs adult (3.33±1.09) in intercropping situation, followed by 200 l/ha respectively as compared to untreated plots (2.69±0.12). There was a significant difference (p &lt; 0.05) between the treated plots (9.08±0.62) and untreated plots (12.44±0.71) in terms of pod damage as well as increased grain yields (343.73±4.71) when compared to the untreated control (322.12±43). However, 250 l/ha causes higher phytotoxicity damage than 200 l/ha although it controlled pest population better than 200 l/ha. Alternate cropping proved to be superior to other cropping system with respect to grain yield (36.78±12.99), reduction in pest infestation (6.33±1.23) and reduction in yield loss (299.58±9.41) when compared to sole cropping of Bambara groundnut with respect to grain yield (100.24±12.99), reduction in pest infestation (15.33±1.23) and reduction in yield loss (395.27±9.41). The bio-pesticidal effect of chilli pepper on Bambara groundnut insects may be due to the presence of active ingredients present in chilli pepper including glycosides, tannin, terpenoides, flavonoids, saponin, reducing sugar, steroids, and resins. This result indicates the potential of using plant extract with insecticidal attributes for the protection of Bambara groundnut in low input agriculture practiced by limited resource farmers in developing countries.

The push-pull intercrop Desmodium does not repel, but intercepts and kills pests.

Over two decades ago, an intercropping strategy was developed that received critical acclaim for synergizing food security with ecosystem resilience in smallholder farming. The push-pull strategy reportedly suppresses lepidopteran pests in maize through a combination of a repellent intercrop (push), commonly Desmodium spp., and an attractive, border crop (pull). Key in the system is the intercrop's constitutive release of volatile terpenoids that repel herbivores. However, the earlier described volatile terpenoids were not detectable in the headspace of Desmodium, and only minimally upon herbivory. This was independent of soil type, microbiome composition, and whether collections were made in the laboratory or in the field. Furthermore, in oviposition choice tests in a wind tunnel, maize with or without an odor background of Desmodium was equally attractive for the invasive pest Spodoptera frugiperda. In search of an alternative mechanism, we found that neonate larvae strongly preferred Desmodium over maize. However, their development stagnated and no larva survived. In addition, older larvae were frequently seen impaled and immobilized by the dense network of silica-fortified, non-glandular trichomes. Thus, our data suggest that Desmodium may act through intercepting and decimating dispersing larval offspring rather than adult deterrence. As a hallmark of sustainable pest control, maize-Desmodium push-pull intercropping has inspired countless efforts to emulate stimulo-deterrent diversion in other cropping systems. However, detailed knowledge of the actual mechanisms is required to rationally improve the strategy, and translate the concept to other cropping systems.

The benefits of floral border crops in smallholder rice production depends on agronomic inputs and landscape context

Abstract Ecological intensification (EI) provides an important and increasingly adopted pathway for achieving more sustainable agricultural systems. However, the implementation and success of on‐farm EI practices may vary depending on landscape context and local management practices. We evaluated how EI interventions, including two different agricultural input regimes (high or low use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers) and floral border crops, affected local natural enemy biodiversity, pest abundance and crop yield, and how this was influenced by the surrounding landscape context across 12 rice fields on smallholder farms in Puducherry, India. Reducing agricultural inputs positively impacted the overall natural enemy assemblage; however, responses to landscape factors varied. For example, coccinellid beetles were negatively correlated with higher densities of field edges (landscape configuration). In contrast, spiders, the most abundant group surveyed, were not significantly influenced by any landscape metric. Furthermore, pest abundance was greatest in fields with reduced inputs but only at sites where floral border crops were not present. Mean rice grain yield was lower across low‐input sites compared with high‐input sites and floral border crops had opposing effects across high‐ and low‐input sites. At low‐input sites, mean yields were 33% higher where floral border crops were present. At high‐input sites, the presence of floral border crops was correlated with a lower mean yield (16%). These findings show that ecological intensification practices can benefit smallholder crop systems but highlight the need to account for variations in landscape context and local management practices for developing effective sustainable management practices.

Floral interventions enhance flower visitor communities and pollination services in moringa plantations

Abstract Pollination is a crucial ecosystem service contributing to global food security. Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is an economically important tropical crop, mostly cultivated by smallholder farmers. Well‐established approaches of planting flower‐rich patches used in temperate agroecosystems for pollination enhancement were adapted to tropical moringa systems. Based on existing evidence, we hypothesised that floral interventions would improve flower visitor diversity and abundance in the crop, thereby increasing pollination services and moringa yield and quality. We used standardised methods to survey flower visitors on moringa and assess economically relevant measures of crop yield quality and quantity. We selected 24 moringa fields in Tamil Nadu, India, to compare fields with and without floral interventions. We planted red gram, Cajanus cajan as a border crop, and marigold, Tagetes erecta as an intercrop on moringa fields to enhance floral resource availability for pollinators. These interventions were co‐designed with local farmers to ensure additional benefits to their community. We found that flower visitor abundance and species richness were significantly (50% for abundance and 33% for species richness) greater in fields with floral interventions compared with control fields. We also found that the percentage of flowers that resulted in harvestable fruits were significantly (30%) greater in fields with floral intervention. Production benefits in yield and quality were significantly positively correlated with the abundance and species richness of flower visitors. Synthesis and applications. Our results provide clear evidence that floral interventions in the form of intercropping and border cropping can enhance pollinator communities and services they provide in tropical smallholder systems. These findings underpin a practical management option for farmers to enhance flower visitor communities and pollination services, which can potentially also provide additional co‐benefits to farmers, improving livelihoods and sustainable production.

Fundus-DeepNet: Multi-label deep learning classification system for enhanced detection of multiple ocular diseases through data fusion of fundus images

Detecting multiple ocular diseases in fundus images is crucial in ophthalmic diagnosis. This study introduces the Fundus-DeepNet system, an automated multi-label deep learning classification system designed to identify multiple ocular diseases by integrating feature representations from pairs of fundus images (e.g., left and right eyes). The study initiates with a comprehensive image pre-processing procedure, including circular border cropping, image resizing, contrast enhancement, noise removal, and data augmentation. Subsequently, discriminative deep feature representations are extracted using multiple deep learning blocks, namely the High-Resolution Network (HRNet) and Attention Block, which serve as feature descriptors. The SENet Block is then applied to further enhance the quality and robustness of feature representations from a pair of fundus images, ultimately consolidating them into a single feature representation. Finally, a sophisticated classification model, known as a Discriminative Restricted Boltzmann Machine (DRBM), is employed. By incorporating a Softmax layer, this DRBM is adept at generating a probability distribution that specifically identifies eight different ocular diseases. Extensive experiments were conducted on the challenging Ophthalmic Image Analysis-Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (OIA-ODIR) dataset, comprising diverse fundus images depicting eight different ocular diseases. The Fundus-DeepNet system demonstrated F1-scores, Kappa scores, AUC, and final scores of 88.56 %, 88.92 %, 99.76 %, and 92.41 % in the off-site test set, and 89.13 %, 88.98 %, 99.86 %, and 92.66 % in the on-site test set.In summary, the Fundus-DeepNet system exhibits outstanding proficiency in accurately detecting multiple ocular diseases, offering a promising solution for early diagnosis and treatment in ophthalmology.

Impact of Pesticides on Diversity and Abundance of Predatory Arthropods in Rice Ecosystem

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal crops with a diverse set of pests and natural enemies. Rice fields often support a high diversity of arthropods which contribute significantly to productivity. This diversity is frequently threatened due to indiscriminate applications of pesticides. Our aim was to emphasize on the predator diversity in agrochemical exposed rice field as well as on the impact of surrounding vegetation on beneficial insect diversity. Natural enemies’ data were recorded from randomly selected 10 quadrates by visual observation from each treatment. A total of 5,590 individuals of predators were observed during the study period which included 27 species belonging to 16 families from five orders of arthropods during the kharif season of rice. Statistically, there were no significant differences between the population of general natural enemies such as Odonata, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, and Araneae in plots with insecticide and control during the different growth stages of rice cultivation. Diversity indices were almost similar in fields where pesticide was sprayed and not sprayed. Our study concluded that natural enemies are conserved by ensuring crop heterogeneity, growing insect-friendly plants (with high levels of nectar and pollen) as border crops, and judicious application of granule insecticide like cartap hydrochloride in a rice agro-ecosystem.

Fitness and population build-up of a native predatory bug, &lt;i&gt;Nesidiocoris tenuis&lt;/i&gt;, on tomato pinworm, &lt;i&gt;Phthorimaea absoluta&lt;/i&gt;, in a modified crop habitat

The tomato pinworm damage, population build-up, the damage and longevity of native predatory bug, Nesidiocoris tenuis in sole crop and diversified crop of tomato (pumpkin and sunn hemp as border crop + a patch of sunn hemp as hedgerow) were studied. Infestation of tomato pinworm, Phthorimaea absoluta was found to be the highest in the sole crop (5.60 live mines/plant at 20 DAP) compared to the diversified crop of tomato (1.50 live mines per plant). No significant difference in the number of necrotic rings per plant was observed between the sole crop and the diversified crop of tomatoes. The development period of nymphs of N. tenuis was the shortest in tomatoes followed by pumpkin. The results of the present study confirmed the role of crop diversification in supporting the population build-up of predatory bug N. tenuis in effecting the biological control of pinworm in tomato crop.

Adoption and Assessment of Integrated Strategies for Managing Major Insect Pests in Kharif Green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek

For assessing the integrated strategies towards managing insect pest of green gram the concerned experiment was executed for consecutive three years using two treatments, viz., IPM nodule and Farmer’s practice. In case of IPM module management tactics included seed treatment with fungicide (Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25%) and insecticide like thiamethoxam, seed dressing with rhizobium, installation of yellow sticky traps, pheromone traps, growing border crops, applying neem based insecticides and need based application of chlorantraniliprole. In case of Farmer’s practice only two round spray of chlorpyriphos + cypermethrin were given. In all the years aphid and spotted pod borer population were significantly less compared to the farmer’s practice (mean aphid population of 2.53 per 10 cm apical twig in IPM plots against 29.37 in Farmer’s practice while pod borer population of 0.77 larva plant-1 in IPM and 4.8 in Farmer’s practice). Natural enemy population was considerably higher in IPM module (5.23 plant-1) compared to the farmer’s practice (1.36 plant-1). Higher incremental benefit cost ratio was also obtained from IPM modules.

Adoption and Assessment of Integrated Strategies for Managing Major Insect Pests in Kharif Green gram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek

For assessing the integrated strategies towards managing insect pest of green gram the concerned experiment was executed for consecutive three years using two treatments, viz., IPM nodule and Farmer’s practice. In case of IPM module management tactics included seed treatment with fungicide (Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25%) and insecticide like thiamethoxam, seed dressing with rhizobium, installation of yellow sticky traps, pheromone traps, growing border crops, applying neem based insecticides and need based application of chlorantraniliprole. In case of Farmer’s practice only two round spray of chlorpyriphos + cypermethrin were given. In all the years aphid and spotted pod borer population were significantly less compared to the farmer’s practice (mean aphid population of 2.53 per 10 cm apical twig in IPM plots against 29.37 in Farmer’s practice while pod borer population of 0.77 larva plant-1 in IPM and 4.8 in Farmer’s practice). Natural enemy population was considerably higher in IPM module (5.23 plant-1) compared to the farmer’s practice (1.36 plant-1). Higher incremental benefit cost ratio was also obtained from IPM modules.

A review of the current state of knowledge on Pseudoxytenanthera ritchiei- a lesser known bamboo species with high utilization potential from Peninsular India

Pseudoxytenanthera ritchiei (Munro) H. B. Naithani is a unique bamboo species with fully solid culms. This bamboo species is endemic to the Peninsular India and has a scattered distribution in the forest ecosystems of Kerala. In Kerala, the species was abundantly found in Nilambur and Mannarkad forests and had high demand in the market. However, unsustainable harvesting over a significant period resulted in resource depletion from these forests (Kumar et al., 2009). Though P. ritchiei shares many characteristics which make Pseudoxytenanthera stocksii a commercially important bamboo species, the former is not listed as a priority species by the National Bamboo Mission while the latter is included in the list. Moreover, the potential of P. ritchiei remains untapped in Kerala, primarily due to a lack of information on its distribution and availability, and secondly due to a lack of supply of sufficient quantity for commercial use. These are clumping bamboo and do not require much space, making them suitable for home gardens and as a border crop in fields. Hence, we argue that there is a good justification for this species to be given preference and large-scale cultivation to be encouraged outside forest areas after having developed appropriate methods for quality stock production. Steps must also be taken to ensure the conservation of the species in its natural habitat to prevent the loss of the wild and diverse genotypes which at present lack sufficient documentation. This review features information gleaned from available literature on this less-studied species, and its potential for utilization. The currently available information relating to distribution, propagation, floral morphology, flowering history, eco-system services etc. is also highlighted.

Natural Farming Boosts Coccinelid Abundance and Suppressing Rice Leaf Folder (Cnaphalocrosis Medinalis) in Rice in Indo-Burma Region.

&nbsp; Ecological engineering cropping systems were developed for aroma (Pusa Basmati-1121, Badshah bhog, and Gandhi Biron) and non-aroma rice varieties (Tripura Chikan Dhan, Tripura Nirogi Dhan, and Tripura Sharat Dhan). 2017-18 and 2018-19 field experiments were performed at the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib, Mizoram. Ecological engineering parameters such as pest defender ratio, occurrence ratio (OR) of entomophages, preference ratio (PR) of pests, biodiversity indices (species diversity, richness, and evenness) of entomophages and pests, and cost benefit ratio (CBR) were assessed for all cropping systems. The population of Micraspis crocea (Mulsant) on rice was most affected by rice (Gomati Dhan) + Pusa Basmati-1121, followed by rice + Gandhi Biron and rice + Badsha Bhog. Rice + Tripura Nirogi Dhan, Rice + Tripura Sharat Dhan, and Rice + Tripura Chikon Dhan border systems impacted rice's moderate entomophage population more than rice alone. rice + Pusa Basmati-1121, rice + Gandhi Biron, and rice + Badsha Bhog border cropping system reduced leaf folder (Cnaphalocrosis medinalis (Guenee), population and damage on rice compared to rice alone. rice + Tripura Nirogi Dhan, rice + Tripura Sharat Dhan, and rice + Tripura Chikon Dhan border cropping system showed moderate pest population and damage. Pest defender ratio was highest on rice + Pusa Basmati-1121 (1: 6.23 and 1: 4.08), rice + Gandhi Biron (1: 5.76 and 1: 3.83) and rice + Badsha Bhog (1: 5.26 and 1: 3.35) border system compared to rice + Tripura Nirogi Dhan (1: 4.00 and 1: 2.65), rice +Tripura Sharat Dhan (1: 3.09 and 1: 2.31), and rice + Tripura Chikon Dhan (1: 2.90 and 1: 1.83) border system and rice alone (1:1.75 and 1: 1.68) border systems. Rice + Pusa Basmati-1121, rice + Gandhi Biron, and rice + Badsha Bhog border systems had the highest OR of entomophages, lowest PR of pests, highest yield, and highest CBR compared to rice + Tripura Nirogi Dhan, Tripura Sharat Dhan, and Tripura Chikon Dhan border cropping systems and rice alone. &nbsp; &nbsp

Evaluating French marigold as a border insectary plant for the enhancement of beneficial arthropods in sweet corn plantings

Non-crop flora is often used on arable lands to augment beneficial arthropods in cropping systems. Though there may be an enhancement in the abundance of beneficials, this increase may be limited to crop borders or may not result in greater herbivore suppression. French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) was evaluated as an insectary plant for sweet corn (Zea mays L.) and compared with monoculture sweet corn plots. Several families of parasitoids and predators representing multiple taxa were attracted to marigold plants and more parasitoids were captured on sticky card traps located at the margins of sweet corn plots bordered by marigold as opposed to margins of sweet corn plots without marigold strips. Still, similar numbers of predators and/or parasitoids were found on sweet corn plants and/or card traps within the border and interior rows of sweet corn plots in both treatments. Furthermore, the percentage of sweet corn ears with herbivore feeding damage was similar in marigold diversified and monoculture sweet corn plots. Though marigold attracted some beneficial insects, it may not result in enhanced biological control of herbivorous pests in sweet corn plantings.

Integrated Management of Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) In Papaya

Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV) is one of the major obstacles for boosting papaya production in the country. There is no curative control measure available through conventional methods. Precautionary measures for PRSV incidence viz. rouging, cross protection, vector controls separately are not much effective. Hence an integrated management strategy involving raising of papaya seedlings under Nylon net (40-60 mesh) and spraying of acephate 1.5g/litre, 3 days before planting. Use of two rows of border crop viz. maize (sown 15 days before planting)+. Spraying of urea @ 10g/liter + zinc sulphate @1.5g + boron @ 1.0g per litre recorded reduced PRSV incidence of 42.7 % with maximum average yield of 49.68 kg/tree compared to control with maximum PRSV incidence of 95.6 % incidence with reduced yield of 23.76 kg/tree at 150 days after planting.

Trap cropping: An agroecological approach to management of flea beetles on sugar beet

Two-year field experiments were carried out in four farms in Northern Italy with the aim of developing an agroecological approach to manage flea beetles, Chaetocnema tibialis (Illiger) and Phyllotreta spp. (Chevrolat) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on sugar beet by using trap crops. In each farm, two treatments were compared: i) trap crop, in which was a plot of sugar beet with an edge consisting of a mixture of Sinapis alba (L.) and Brassica juncea (L.); ii) control, which was a plot of sugar beet with bare soil at the field margin. An overall significant reduction (≈40%) in flea beetle damage was detected on sugar beets grown nearby trap crops in comparison with control plots. Furthermore, in the trap crop treatment, flea beetle damage varied with the distance from the trap crop border, as the highest damage was detected at 2 m from the border, whereas lower damage was found at increasing distances from the trap crop. Trap cropping has potential as an ecological way to reduce early sugar beet damage and the need for insecticide applications.