Plant Acceptance for Oviposition of Tetranychus urticae on Strawberry Leaves Is Influenced by Aromatic Plants in Laboratory and Greenhouse Intercropping Experiments

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate aromatic plants’ effects on the acceptance, preference, egg load, and life span of females of the twospotted spider mite (TSSM) in laboratory experiments and TSSM population under aromatic plants’ intercropping in greenhouse experiments. The pseudofruits production was also evaluated. For the laboratory, basil’s, Chinese chives’, chives’, and garlic’s influence on TSSM were tested on strawberry leaves. Four laboratory experiments were conducted: (1) Multiple choice test; (2) T-shaped arena test; (3) host–plant acceptance on aromatic plant or strawberry leaves; and (4) performance of TSSMs on strawberry leaves under aromatic plant influence. For the greenhouse experiments, assessments of the TSSM populations were realized by observing TSSM with a 10× magnifying glass on strawberry leaves in a monocrop or intercropped with Chinese chives, chives, garlic, or onion. Pseudofruit production was evaluated. Our results show that strawberry leaves were strongly preferred by TSSM. The T-shaped arena test revealed that all aromatic plants repel the TSSM. The test with the performance of TSSM females revealed that aromatic plants affected the mite’s biological parameters. Chinese chives reduced the number of eggs laid per day by 33.22%, whereas garlic reduced the number by 17.30% and chives reduced it by 12.46%. The total number of eggs was reduced by 34.79% with Chinese chives and 25.65% with garlic. Greenhouse experiments showed that chives reduced TSSM populations on two cycles and Chinese chives and garlic reduced TSSM populations on the first cycle only. With our findings, we suggest that Chinese chives, chives, and garlic are the primary candidates for intercropping use against TSSM. Chinese chives and garlic reduced the total number of eggs, but only garlic reduced female mite longevity. However, none of the intercropping plants improved strawberry pseudofruit production.