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Arthropods, 2021, 10(3): 66-81
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Biological role of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) in habitat manipulation and sustenance of natural enemy populations in upland rice

Kari Iamba, Chen Teksep
Department of Agriculture, PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea

Received 27 May 2021;Accepted 30 June 2021;Published 1 September 2021
IAEES

Abstract
The re-designing of agricultural systems in integrated pest management (IPM) has been aimed at reducing the use of synthetic pesticides to manage pests. In conservation biological control, the cropping habitat is manipulated to provide vital resources that are required by natural enemies to suppress pest populations. Habitat manipulation is an example of conservation biological control where non-host plants are incorporated in a crop field to provide floral resources, refuges and alternate hosts for natural enemies. We tested the Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta Linnaeus) in upland rice plots to attract natural enemies. The paradigm was to manipulate the rice habitat with marigold plants to provide vital resources that are needed by natural enemies to suppress pest populations. From the four marigold treatments applied, plots that had only T. erecta (T2) as barrier plants attracted the highest population of natural enemy complex (i.e. Apanteles sp., Telenomus sp., Oxypes javanus and Coelophora inaequalis). Conversely, the population of pest complex (i.e. Spodoptera litura, Sirpophaga incertulas and Leptocorisa acuta) was significantly low under T2. Plots that received a treatment combination of T. erecta and its extract (T4) had the second highest population natural enemies. Both control (T1) and T. erecta extract (T3) treatments had low natural enemy populations. This study has proven that T. erecta is a vital plant that maintains and sustains a high natural enemy biodiversity. More natural enemies are attracted to T. erecta plants resulted in a decline in pest population. By combining T. erecta and its extract, a duel mechanism for pests mortality is being utilized via utilization of plant material for botanical insecticide and floral resources for natural enemies.

Keywords conservation biological control;pest population;habitat manipulation;Tagetes erecta L.;natural enemy complex;pest complex.

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