Effect of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping in the management of melon lady beetle (Epilachna chrysomelina) and pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora spp)

Abstract

Field trials were conducted in 2023 and 2024 planting cropping seasons to evaluate the potency of different planting configurations in cucumber and maize intercrop on the insect-pests and yield of cucumber in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The trials involved different intercropping configurations (patterns) in Cucumber and maize intercrop to evaluate their efficacies on the insect pest of cucumber; Melon lady beetle (Epilachna chrysomelina) and Pumpkin beetle (Aulacophora spp). Four varieties of cucumber (Mona Lisa, Murano 2, Nandini 732 and cucumber marketer) and one maize variety (ART -98-SWI) were used in the experiment. The planting configurations used in each of the trials were; 1: 1, 2: 2 and 3:2. The experiment had 13 treatments with sole cucumber cropping as control.  The planting of each of the four varieties of cucumber in any of the three planting configurations with maize served as a treatment.  The experiment in each year, was laid out in a randomized complete block design and treatments replicated 4 times. The insect pests assessed in the field were; Epilachna chrysomelina and Aulacophora spp. Data were collected from the field on insect population (E. chrysomelina and Aulacophora spp), vine length, number of leaves per plant and fruit yield of cucumber and thereafter were subjected to Analysis of Variance using Genstat 8.0 statistical software.  The results indicated that cucumber-maize intercropping configuration at 1: 1 as well as 2:2 had lower population density of insect pests of cucumber than that of 3:2 configuration and cucumber sole-cropping. Similarly, in both experiments, cucumber-maize row intercropping configuration at 1:1 (13.92, 13.6 t/ha) as well as 2: 2 (13.27, 13.46 t/ha) had higher yield than that of 3:2 (11.76, 11.26 t/ha) row configuration. These results suggest that intercropping of Cucumber and 
maize at 1:1 as well as 2:2 is most effective in the management of insect pests of cucumber. Therefore, planting of cucumber and maize using 1:1 as well as 2:2 cropping pattern could be recommended for better control of insect pests and fruit yield of cucumber.