Population dynamics of cotton pests and natural enemies in cotton/basil intercropping

This study was conducted in Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Agriculture, Research and Application Farm during the cotton production season of 2018 and 2019. The aim of this study was to determine population changes and transmission rates of important pests and natural enemies in cotton-basil cultivation. Gloria as cotton cultivar and large-leaved basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) were used in the study. As a result of pest observations carried out in weekly periods, Empoasca spp. (Hem.: Cicadellidae), Aphis gossypii Glover (Hem.: Aphididae), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hem.: Aleyrodidae), Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thys.: Thripidae), Frankliniella occideantalis (Pergande) (Thys.: Thripidae) species were identified. There was no statistically significant difference in population density of pests in co-cultivation systems. However, only Bemisia tabaci species were statistically different. In 2018, the lowest Bemicia tabaci population density was observed in 2F 2P application (0.27 individuals/leaf) and cotton alone (0.49 individuals/leaf). As natural enemies, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) from Neuroptera, Aeolothrips spp. from Thysanoptera, Orius spp., Nabis spp., Geocoris spp., Campylomma diversicornis Reuter from Hemiptera, Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, Coccinella undecimpunctata Linnaeus, Adonia variegata (Goeze), Stethorus spp. from Coleoptera types have been identified. No significant difference was observed between cotton-basil intercopping and pure cotton cultivation in terms of natural enemy populations. According to the data obtained from the study, the density of the pests in the region is not above the Economic Injury Level, therefore, it is considered that it is not appropriate to use the basil together in combating the pests, instead, it would be more appropriate to carry out studies on the cultivation of cotton together with other crops on insects and natural enemies. Key Words: İntercropping, Pests, Natural Enemies, Cotton