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Impacts of intercropping on the major insect pests of Jatropha curcas L. in south of Benin
Abstract
Jatropha curcas is an oleaginous plant whose seed yield is low. The present study aimed at evaluating is pests associated with J. curcas. In regards to the densities, Denticera near divisella density was obtained 0.85 larvae per plant in J. curcas in sole farming and 0.70, 0.61, 0.85 larvae respectively when intercropped with casava, maize and cowpea. When J. curcas was intercropped with cassava Stomphastis thraustica was the most encountered species with a density of 1.28 larvae per plant while 0.61 larvae density was encountered for intercropped with maize and 0.27 larvae density with cowpea against 0.43 larvae in mono culture. For J. curcas with maize, Aulacophora africana was the most abundant species with a density of 0.47 adult per plant. In the case of J. curcas with cowpea. D. nr divisella had the highest density of 0.85 larvae per plant. It was also shown that the grain yield of J. curcas depends of intercrop. The yields were from 591.75 ± 109.25kg / ha; 431.75 ± 92.50kg / ha; 252.50 ± 51.50kg / ha; 89.50 ± 43.00kg/ha respectively in pure farming of J. curcas, Jatropha intercropped with maize, cowpea or cassava respectively. Therefore, it is important to choose intercropping to reduce the density of pests in Jatropha crop.