The aim of this study is to use plant components with pesticidal properties to repel pests and control the pest vector. Sweet potato is a crucial crop for addressing global food security and climate change, particularly in developing countries. However, osmotic stress can negatively impact its productivity by causing morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. To combat water stress, plants use various signaling pathways, such as modifying their growth patterns, activating antioxidants, accumulating suitable solutes and chaperones, and producing stress proteins.
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulaceae family. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable. It is a nutritious and healthy source of food that has been linked to viral infections worldwide, including Malaysia. It is essential to control insect vectors that spread viral diseases when growing sweet potatoes. Aphids transmit Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV), while whiteflies transmit Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV). SPFMV, either alone or combined with other viruses, has caused a reduction in the quantity and quality of sweet potato tubers.
To manage virus pest vectors, a prophylactic measure was carried out by planting chives (Allium tuberosum) in companion to sweet potato in Semenyih, Selangor. A total of 192 bags of chives were planted with sweet potato in a 1:2 ratio as a repellent crop. A continuity study was carried out to correlate between disease severity in sweet potato and yield of harvest, which revealed a significant negative correlation. Sweet potato planted with chives had a lower mean number of aphids and whiteflies compared to the control plants (sweet potato without chives). A lower virus incidence percentage was observed in sweet potato planted with chives (27.5%) compared to the control plants (41.2%). Furthermore, sweet potato grown with chives attracted more beneficial arthropods/insects. The partial budgeting analysis showed that planting sweet potato with chives had a positive impact on production, with a 13% increment in sweet potato yield compared to planting sweet potato alone. Farmers earned extra income from the sale of chives in addition to the existing sweet potato produce. More positive benefits were obtained with a value of net income RM 344.57 when sweet potato was planted companion with chives.
Author(s) Details:
Razean Haireen M. R.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysia.
Siti Noor Aishikin A. H.,
Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, Malaysia.
Nur Zainih J. J.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysia.
Rawaida R.,
Sosio-Economy, Market Intelligence and Agribusiness Research Centre, Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (MARDI), MARDI Headquarter, Persiaran MARDI-UPM, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Norma H.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysia.
Nurul Afza K.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, MARDI Stesen Bachok, Kampung Aur, Mukim Telong Jalan Kandis, 16310 Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Faizah S. A. R.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysia.
Mohd Nazri B.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, MARDI Stesen Bachok, Kampung Aur, Mukim Telong Jalan Kandis, 16310 Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Anuar A.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, MARDI Stesen Bachok, Kampung Aur, Mukim Telong Jalan Kandis, 16310 Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Mohd Aziz R.,
Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, Malaysia.
Izyani R.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysia.
Nurul Ain A.,
Industrial Crop Research Centre, Malaysia.
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