EFFECT OF INTERCROPPING OF SPICES, CEREAL AND ROOT CROPS ON THE INCIDENCE OF HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA (HUB.) IN TOMATO

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during 2006-07 and 2007-08 to study the impact of seven intercropping system of non-host plants with tomato on the incidence of fruit borer at Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The results obtained from study indicated that the incidence of fruit borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) was foumd minimum when tomato intercropped with coriander, Coriandrum sativum, kasuri fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum, barley, Hordeum vulgare; carrot, Daucus carrota; mustard, Brassica compestris and dill, Anethum sowa in 2:1 row ratio. Among the intercrops, minimum incidence was noticed in tomato + coriander (0.94 larvae plant-1), tomato + mustard (1.09 larvae plant-1) and tomato + fenugreek (1.26 larvae plant- 1) over sole (3.68 larvae plant1). Lower fruit damage was observed in tomato + mustard (24.49% w/w and 25.32% n/n), tomato + coriander (25.63% w/w and 26.61% n/n) and tomato + fenugreek (26.12% w/w and 27.30n/n) over sole (37.35% w/w and 38.29 n/n). However, highest tomato equivalent yield was recorded in tomato + coriander (296.66 qha-1), tomato + barley (211.07qha-1) and tomato + mustard (209.61qha-1) intercropping systems as compared to sole tomato (199.48 qha-1).