Testing basil as banker plant in IPM greenhouse tomato crops

Abstract

In order to reduce the use of pesticides, banker plants may be added to crop systems. They can improve the presence of predatory arthropods by offering shelter or alternative food. In the present study, we analyzed basil as banker plant in a greenhouse IPM tomato crop system testing different plant combinations in monocultures vs. dicultures. We measured the influence of the presence of basil on the reduction of pest number, predator population stability, plant health and crop yield. Significantly fewer pests were present in dicultures when basil was present, but the number of predators, crop yield and leaf health was not statistically different between plant combinations. Under the given conditions, basil could not be categorized as an efficient banker plant for Macrolophus pygmaeus.

Keywords:

• Ocimum basilicum
• Macrolophus pygmaeus
• Trialeurodes vaporariorum
• Solanum lycopersicum
• whiteflies
• tomato
• biocontrol plant
• banker plant
• biological pest control

Acknowledgements

This research was part of the project PURE: Integrated pest management in farming systems of major importance for Europe supported by EC-FP7-KBBE-2010-4.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

PURE: Integrated pest management in farming systems of major importance for Europe [Grant Number EC-FP7-KBBE-2010-4].