Pengaruh Strategi Push-Pull terhadap Populasi Kutu Kebul (Bemisia Tabaci) dan Musuh Alami pada Tanaman Cabai Merah Keriting (Capsicum annum L.)

Abstract

Curly red chili is one of the important commodities cultivated in Indonesia. As the population increases in Indonesia, the demand for chili peppers also increases. One of the many pests that attack chili plants is the white fly. The use of chemical pesticides to deal with white fly pests is a strategy that has been widely practiced globally. Excessive use of chemicals causes negative impacts on ecosystems in crop fields, such as pest resistance, reduced natural enemy populations and the emergence of new pests. The application of the push-pull strategy in the field is considered not to cause pollution to plants such as residue from chemicals because the push-pull strategy is a technique that controls and suppresses the development of pest populations using non-toxic, trap plants. The white flies are active during the day and on the lower surface of the leaves at night. The process of damage that occurs on plant leaves caused by white flies occurs due to the closure of leaves with honey dew produced by nymphs, then sooty dew will appear on the honey dew layer so that photosynthesis cannot occur optimally. The research was conducted in Jelbuk village, Jelbuk sub-district, Jember regency, using 2 treatments, namely control and push-pull. This study consisted of 2 treatments. Each treatment was repeated as many as 16 replications with a total of 32 experimental plot beds. The results of observations that have been made on curly red chili plantations with 2 treatments for 4 weeks with an observation interval of 2 times a week, the population of white fly (Bemisia tabaci) on curly red chili plantations in Jelbuk Village, Jelbuk District, Jember Regency. There is a difference with the results for push-pull plot is 1,94 and control plot is 17,18. The result of the comparison of natural enemy diversity between control plots and push-pull plots amounted to 0.9 for control plot and in push-pull plots amounted to 1.37.