आईएसएसएन: 2593-9173
Nontarak Huong*, Kim EangTho, Raby Nget, Soth Sreyboth
This study was carried out to assess the effect of repellent plants on insect population and damage on Chinese kale.
The experiment was designed in randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) with four treatments and 4 replications,
16 plots. The treatments using various types of basil, sweet basil (ocimumbasilicum), lemon basil
(ocimumbasilicumcitriodorum), holy basil (ocimumtenuiflorum) while plots without barrier were used as a control
treatment. Spring onion was intercropped in all treatments. Insect sampling was done on10 plants/plot selected by
W-line to observe weekly intervals of pest occurrences. Average numbers of each species were recorded. The two main
pests infested Chinese kale were aphid (Brevicorynebrassicae) and Diamondback moth (Plutellaxylostella). Moreover, the
accumulative number of pests over time was significantly different among treatments and the mean of the total
population was therefore statically different. The lowest insect number was found in sweet basil and holy basil
treatments while serious damaged leaf area resulted in the control treatment. The findings revealed that the most
effective basil in reducing infestation levels of aphid was sweet basil while holy basil shown promising results in
suppressing DBM. The evaluation could help keep up a sustainable Chinese kale production by beneficial insect
enhancement and free chemical application. Despite basil could have been integrated in managing Chinese kale,
crop’s yield was not significantly different.