Manipulation of crop habitat to encourage natural enemies against key pests of cabbage ecosystem
Rudra N Borkakati, DK Saikia and Daizy Sarma
Field experiments were conducted during 2015-16 and 2016-17 to study the impact of habitat manipulation on the incidence of major pests of cabbage and their natural enemies revealed that out of four modules, T1 module (Cabbage intercropped with cowpea and mustard as border crop) was found to be the best in reducing the larval population of Plutella xylostella (1.89 / plant), Pieris canidia (2.82/plant), Agrotis ipsilon (1.26 /plant) and Brevicoryne brassicae (2.03 aphid/leaves). The highest numbers of Coccinellid predator (1.81/ leaves) with highest yield of (17872 kg/ha) and highest cost benefit ratio (1: 4.60) also recorded from the same module. Thus cabbage intercropped with cowpea and mustard as border crop could be adopted to get rid of key pests of cabbage.