Is durum wheat-winter pea intercropping efficient to reduce pests and diseases ?

Abstract

Intercropping (IC) is known as an agricultural practice which can improve the use of environmental resources (light, nutrients and water) resulting in yield advantages compared to sole cropping (SC) (Willey, 1979) particularly in low input systems. But, diseases ands pests can strongly affect both yield and grain quality in such systems. Now, numerous studies have shown significant reductions in harmful insects and on diseases in IC compared to SC of the same species (Vandermeer, 1989; Kinane and Lyngkjaer, 2002) even if others studies did not confirmed these foundings. The aim of our study was to evaluate the assumption that IC can reduce pea pests (green aphids and weevils), pea ascochyta and main durum wheat diseases (mildew, brown rust, fusarium and septoria).