Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

The impact of three intercropping patterns of tomato and onion on the control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) and crop yield

Document Type : Research paper-Persian

Authors
S. A. A. Fathi 1
S. Emdadi 2
1 Professor, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2 M.S.c., Food Sciences and Technology Department, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
10.22055/ppr.2025.50319.1826
Abstract
Background and Objective
The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is a key pest in tomato cultivation. The reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides in controlling this pest has harmful effects on non-target organisms and disrupts the ecological balance within agroecosystems. Therefore, it is crucial to explore and implement alternative pest management strategies for T. absoluta. Enhancing agroecosystem diversity through practices such as intercropping systems is vital for effective pest control, promoting the abundance and diversity of natural enemies, and improving soil productivity.
Materials and Methods
This study investigated the impact of intercropping tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill.)) and onion (Allium cepa L.) on the density of tomato leaf miner, the percentage of infested fruits, and overall crop yield, relative to monocultures of the two crops across the growing seasons of 2023 and 2024. The experimental treatments included: (1) tomato monoculture (sT), (2) a 4:4 row intercropping of tomato and onion (4T:4O), (3) a 4:8 row intercropping (4T:8O), (4) a 4:12 row intercropping (4T:12O), alongside (5) onion monoculture (sO). Total polyphenol content was quantified in onion leaf samples at three weight ratios: 4, 8, and 12 kg, with absorbance measurements taken at 760 nm using a spectrophotometer. A linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the number of eggs, larvae, larval galleries, and the percentage of infested fruits concerning the total polyphenol contents in three specific weight ratios of onion leaves. Furthermore, the land equivalent ratio (LER) was calculated for three intercrops to evaluate their yield efficiency compared to the corresponding monoculture systems.
Results
The experimental results showed that all three intercrops significantly reduced the number of eggs, larvae, and larval galleries per tomato plant compared to the sole tomatoes. Among three intercrops, 4T:8O and 4T:12O exhibited the most noticeable reduction in tomato leaf miner populations. Furthermore, there was a significant decline in the percentage of infested fruits across all intercrops, particularly in the 4T:12O pattern, compared to tomato monoculture. This study established a significant negative linear regression between the total polyphenol content in onion leaves and the number of eggs, larvae, larval galleries, and the percentage of infested fruits. All three intercrops had a land equivalent ratio (LER) index greater than one, with the highest LER values observed in the 4T:8O and 4T:12O intercrops.
Discussion
The reduction in T. absoluta populations and associated damage in three patterns of tomato and onion intercrops may be attributed to the volatile compounds emitted by onions, which appear to exert a repellent effect on T. absoluta adults. This odor may prevent adults from finding suitable hosts for laying eggs or even cause them to migrate from intercrops to other fields. Our findings show that increasing the total polyphenol content in green onion foliage significantly associates with a reduction in the number of eggs laid, larvae, larval galleries, and the percentage of infested fruits. Consequently, increasing the rows of onion relative to tomato rows from 4T:4O to 4T:8O and 4T:12O resulted in a more noticeable repellent effect on T. absoluta in the field. Therefore, intercropping tomato and onion, particularly at the 4T:8O and 4T:12O patterns, presents an environmentally sustainable practice for managing T. absoluta in agricultural systems.
Keywords
biodiversity
crop yield
intercrop
repellent
sustainable agriculture
Subjects
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 © 2025 by the authors. Licensee SCU, Ahvaz, Iran. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0 license) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)
Volume 48, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 55-69