Olfactory response of Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) to volatiles from leek and chive: Potential for intercropping with sweet pepper

Abstract

Odour-mediated effects of leek Allium porum and chives Allium schoenoprasum (Alliaceae) on the host searching behaviour of the aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Homoptera: Aphididae) were studied. In an olfactometer, odour of the host plant sweet pepper Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae) was significantly attractive, whereas odour of chives was significantly repellent. Combined odour of sweet pepper and chives was neither attractive nor repellent. When sweet pepper plants were exposed to volatiles from chives for five days, their odour subsequently became repellent to M. persicae. An extract of leek plants was significantly repellent to aphids in the olfactometer, as were sweet pepper plants sprayed with this extract. Because both leek and chives can disrupt host finding by the aphid, both plants have potential for intercropping with sweet pepper. If successful in the field, such a system could bring economic benefits for farmers in the wet zone of Sri Lanka and other parts of the world.     

Feeding of Dairy Cattle in the Forest-Garden Farms of Kandy,Sri Lanka

A survey on feeding practices was conducted with 60 farmers belonging to four categories (15 farmers in each): male farmers without off-farm income (M^–), male farmers with off-farm income (M⁺), female farmers without off-farm income (W^–), and female farmers with off-farm income (W⁺). Data on herd size, feeds offered, milk production, chest girth, reproduction and management were collected monthly over a period of 1 year. In addition, samples of fodder and concentrates were collected monthly and analysed for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (OMD). Of the 550 rations analysed, grass was included in 99.8% of all rations, followed by gliricidia (65%), creepers (50%) and jak leaves (32%). Consequently, the rations were high in OMD (47–59%) and CP (7.8–23.5%). High-protein forage or coconut cake or both were also included as a supplement in 92% of the rations. Both M^– and W^– farmers had larger (p<0.001) herds (mean 1.8 animal units (AU) per household) than their counterparts with off-farm income (mean 1.44 AU/household), but only the male farmers without off-farm income achieved higher feeding levels (84.4 vs 65.6–72.1 g digestible organic matter (DOM)/kg^0.75 per day) and milk production (6.4 vs 5.3–5.7 L/lactating cow). The lower production of animals kept by female and M⁺ farmers was related to lower feeding levels. M^– farmers realized higher feeding levels than their M⁺ counterparts. W^– farmers did not collect extra feed in response to higher levels of production. It was concluded that dairy farming in the mid-country of Sri Lanka is particularly important for poorer households without income from off-farm employment.