Affiliation(s)
1. Department of Entomology, Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Melaka Campus Jasin, Melaka 77300, Malaysia
2. Department of Entomology, Faculty of Plantation and Agrotechnology, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 45400, Malaysia
3. School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
ABSTRACT
Interaction among arthropods (insect-acarine)
was investigated at all trophic levels in agro-ecosystem and affects the
population dynamic and diversification of arthropod pests and intensity of
natural enemy (parasitism) as well as stimulates the plant chemical defence. In
the present study of two cropping periods, nutrient concentration and early
infestation of plant-sucking pests are known to trigger different degrees of
interactions (plant’s parameters) which potentially alert abundance and
diversity of the insect pests. Clearer interaction and magnitude of impact
could be assessed (multivariate analysis
of variance (MANOVA) and redundancy
analysis (RDA)) and observed between
arthropods (insect-acarine) community and plants’ parameters from the strongest
to the lowest effects. The two factors could have affected the community of
insect-pests with various degrees of pressure effect
and interaction that occurred naturally, thus leading to the predictable abundance of insect-acarine
populations under eggplant leaves in response to plant physical characteristics
(e.g., size of leaves, number of leaves and plant height)
and biochemical constituents (flavonoid, phenolic, peroxidase and β-1,3-glucanase). Based on
multivariate analyses of multitrophic interaction, MANOVA and RDA have the
potential to elucidate the complex interaction among plant performance,
abundance of pests and activity chemical defence compounds. Both analyses
interpreted similar interactions of measured parameters in different ways.
Whitefly population in this study was predictable by aphids, thrips and total
phenolic contents in eggplant. Eggplant has capable defence systems against
insect-acarine pests after stimulation (pre-infestation). In relation to IPM
strategy, early stages of plant growth are known as susceptible periods for
pests attack but the plant becomes more tolerant during
the fruiting stage.
KEYWORDS
Multitrophic, insect interaction, whitefly, aphids, thrips and eggplant.
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References