Companion Planting https://greenmedinfo.com/category/keywords/Companion%20Planting en Co-cultivation of Beta vulgaris limits the pre-harvest colonization of foodborne pathogen salmonella on tomato. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/co-cultivation-beta-vulgaris-limits-pre-harvest-colonization-foodborne-pathoge PMID:  Int J Food Microbiol. 2020 Jun 20 ;332:108768. Epub 2020 Jun 20. PMID: 32623289 Abstract Title:  Co-cultivation of Beta vulgaris limits the pre-harvest colonization of foodborne pathogen (Salmonella spp.) on tomato. Abstract:  Soil-borne Salmonella is associated with a large number of food-related disease outbreaks linked to pre-harvest contamination of plants (like tomato) in agricultural fields. Controlling the spread of Salmonella at field is very important in order to prevent various food-borne illnesses. One such approach involves the utilization of antimicrobial secondary metabolite of plant origin. We screened common salad vegetables for anti-Salmonella activity. Beta vulgaris root (beetroot) had very low colonization of Salmonella under in vitro conditions. We hypothesized that beetroot can be used to reclaim the soil contaminated with Salmonella. Cultivation of B. vulgaris in Salmonella treated soil brings down its CFU significantly. Since these antimicrobial effects are non-specific, a co-cultivation system of beet and tomato (a Salmonella susceptible plant) was used to analyze the effect on soil and its microbiota. The soil physicochemical properties and bacterial diversity were unaffected when tomato and beet co-cultivation was used. However, Salmonella burden on the tomato was reduced and its yield was restored. Thus, the inclusion of these crops in the crop-rotation or as a mixed/intercrop or as a bio-control crop can be a fruitful tool to reclaim the Salmonella contaminated soil. <p><a href="https://greenmedinfo.com/article/co-cultivation-beta-vulgaris-limits-pre-harvest-colonization-foodborne-pathoge" target="_blank">read more</a></p> https://greenmedinfo.com/article/co-cultivation-beta-vulgaris-limits-pre-harvest-colonization-foodborne-pathoge#comments Beet Salmonella Infections Tomato Companion Planting Risk Reduction Plant Study Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:30:27 +0000 greenmedinfo 223306 at https://greenmedinfo.com Companion planting with French marigolds protects tomato plants from glasshouse whiteflies. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/companion-planting-french-marigolds-protects-tomato-plants-glasshouse-whitefli PMID:  PLoS One. 2019 ;14(3):e0213071. Epub 2019 Mar 1. PMID: 30822326 Abstract Title:  Companion planting with French marigolds protects tomato plants from glasshouse whiteflies through the emission of airborne limonene. Abstract:  Horticulturalists and gardeners in temperate regions often claim that planting marigolds next to tomato plants protects the tomatoes from the glasshouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood). If shown to hold true, this technique could be used in larger-scale tomato production, protecting the crop and helping to introduce greater plant diversity into these agro-ecosystems. Here we present two large-scale glasshouse trials corresponding to the two main ways growers are likely to use marigolds to control whiteflies. In the first, marigolds are grown next to tomato throughout the growing period and we quantify whitefly population growth from the seedling stage over a 48 day infestation period. Here we show that association with marigolds significantly slows whitefly population development. Introducing additional whitefly-attractive &#039;pull&#039; plants around the perimeter of plots has little effect, but reducing the proportion of marigolds and introducing other non-hosts of whiteflies (basil, nasturtium and Chinese cabbage) also reduces whitefly populations on tomato. The second experiment assesses the efficacy of marigolds when used as an &#039;emergency&#039; measure. Here we allow whitefly populations to build to a high density on unprotected tomatoes then introduce marigolds and assess whitefly population over a further period. Following laboratory work showing limonene to be a major chemical component of French marigolds and a negative behaviour response of whiteflies to this compound, limonene dispensers are added as an additional treatment to this experiment.&quot;Emergency&quot;marigold companion planting yielded minimal reductions in whitefly performance, but the use of limonene dispensers was more effective. Our work indicates that companion planting short vine tomatoes with French marigolds throughout the growing season will slow development of whitefly populations. Introducing marigolds to unprotected tomatoes after significant whitefly build-up will be less effective. The use of limonene dispensers placed near to tomato plants also shows promise. It is argued that this work supports the possibility of the development of a mixture of tomato companion plants that infer &#039;associational resistance&#039; against many major invertebrate pests of tomato. Such a mixture, if comprising edible or ornamental plants, would be economically viable, would reduce the need for additional chemical and biological control, and, if used outdoors, would generate plant-diverse agro-ecosystems that are better able to harbour invertebrate wildlife. <p><a href="https://greenmedinfo.com/article/companion-planting-french-marigolds-protects-tomato-plants-glasshouse-whitefli" target="_blank">read more</a></p> https://greenmedinfo.com/article/companion-planting-french-marigolds-protects-tomato-plants-glasshouse-whitefli#comments Marigold Tomatidine Companion Planting Growing Your Own Food Pesticide Reduction Technique Plant Disease Plant Study Thu, 11 Apr 2019 17:04:50 +0000 greenmedinfo 184639 at https://greenmedinfo.com Intercropping rosemary with sweet pepper reduces major pest population densities. https://greenmedinfo.com/article/intercropping-rosemary-sweet-pepper-reduces-major-pest-population-densities PMID:  Insects. 2021 Jan 15 ;12(1). Epub 2021 Jan 15. PMID: 33467491 Abstract Title:  Intercropping Rosemary () with Sweet Pepper () Reduces Major Pest Population Densities without Impacting Natural Enemy Populations. Abstract:  Intercropping of aromatic plants provides an environmentally benign route to reducing pest damage in agroecosystems. However, the effect of intercropping on natural enemies, another element which may be vital to the success of an integrated pest management approach, varies in different intercropping systems. Rosemary,L. (Lamiaceae), has been reported to be repellent to many insect species. In this study, the impact of sweet pepper/rosemary intercropping on pest population suppression was evaluated under greenhouse conditions and the effect of rosemary intercropping on natural enemy population dynamics was investigated. The results showed that intercropping rosemary with sweet pepper significantly reduced the population densities of three major pest species on sweet pepper,,, and, but did not affect the population densities of their natural enemies, the predatory bug,, or parasitoid,. Significant pest population suppression with no adverse effect on released natural enemy populations in the sweet pepper/rosemary intercropping system suggests this could be an approach for integrated pest management of greenhouse-cultivated sweet pepper. Our results highlight the potential of the integration of alternative pest control strategies to optimize sustainable pest control. <p><a href="https://greenmedinfo.com/article/intercropping-rosemary-sweet-pepper-reduces-major-pest-population-densities" target="_blank">read more</a></p> https://greenmedinfo.com/article/intercropping-rosemary-sweet-pepper-reduces-major-pest-population-densities#comments Chili pepper Rosemary Companion Planting Plant Study Sun, 14 Feb 2021 22:47:36 +0000 greenmedinfo 234326 at https://greenmedinfo.com