Skip to content
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Menu
Home
About Us
Resources
Profiles Metrics
Authors Directory
Institutions Directory
Top Authors
Top Institutions
Top Sponsors
AI Digest
Contact Us
Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Effect of intercrops on thrips species composition and population abundance on French beans in Kenya
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, Volume 142, No. 3, Year 2012
Notification
URL copied to clipboard!
Description
The study aimed at determining thrips species composition and thrips population density on French bean planted as a sole crop and as an intercrop with either sunflower, Irish potato, or baby corn, in various combinations. Field experiments were conducted in two seasons to examine: (1) thrips population development and thrips species composition over time, (2) effect of intercrops on thrips population density and natural enemies, and (3) effect of intercrops on French bean yield. The experiments were conducted at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Embu, Kenya in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The thrips population on French beans increased with time. It showed a peak at the flowering stage then started declining when the crops were nearing senescence. French beans hosted four thrips species, Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom), Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), and Hydatothrips aldolfifriderici (Karny) (all Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in order of decreasing abundance. The main thrips species on Irish potato and sunflower was F. schultzei. Baby corn hosted only Frankliniella williamsi (Hood) and Thrips pusillus (Bagnall). A monocrop of French bean hosted more thrips than a French bean intercrop mix. Thrips natural enemies such as Orius spp. and Ceranisus spp. were recorded in all crop plants but in especially high numbers on French bean and baby corn, respectively. Plots with French bean alone had about 1.4 times higher yields compared to intercropped plots of French bean with sunflower and French bean with baby corn. However, the percentage of pods that could get rejected on the market due to thrips damage was highest on plots with French bean alone (68 and 63%) and lowest on plots with French bean and baby corn (35 and 37%) in the first and second seasons, respectively. This study showed that a complex of thrips is found in the field and its composition varies with crop stage and species. Intercropping French bean with other crops compromises on French bean yield but reduces damage to the French bean pods, thereby enhancing marketable yield. © 2012 The Authors. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata © 2012 The Netherlands Entomological Society.
Authors & Co-Authors
Nyasani, Johnson O.
Kenya, Nairobi
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute
Germany, Hannover
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
Kenya, Nairobi
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi
Meyhöfer, Rainer
Germany, Hannover
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
Subramanian, Sevgan
Kenya, Nairobi
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi
Poehling, Hans Michael
Germany, Hannover
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover
Statistics
Citations: 52
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/j.1570-7458.2011.01217.x
ISSN:
00138703
e-ISSN:
15707458
Research Areas
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Locations
Kenya