A temporary tunnel screen as an eco-friendly method for small-scale farmers to protect cabbage crops in Benin

Abstract

Protecting vegetables with a screen in peri-urban areas of tropical countries could reduce or even prevent often indiscriminate insecticide applications by small-scale farmers. The advantages of such an approach are protection of human health by reducing insecticide sprays, reducing environmental pollution from insecticide residues and increasing effectiveness of crop protection. Tunnel screens are well adapted to farmers cultivating intensively on small plots. Two trials were conducted to test the ability of screened tunnels to protect Brassica oleracea crops. The first was carried out onstation and the second in partnership with three farmers in Cotonou, Benin, West Africa. Tunnel screens impregnated with deltamethrin were found to be particularly well adapted to protect young plants in seedling nurseries against infestations by the aphid Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach). The number of diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) and borer Hellula undalis (Fabricius) on cabbages protected with the tunnel screen was significantly lower than that of plots conventionally treated with insecticides. The tunnel screen was not efficient against the armyworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) which laid eggs on the screen. After planting out, the use of a temporary screen from 1700 to 0900 h gave better control against pests than the use of a permanent screen possibly due to the impact of natural enemies during the day. The field trials showed that the protection of cabbage with a tunnel screen could be an economically viable method. The costs of pesticides are on average US$ 45 per 100 m 2 for one crop cycle compared with US$ 24 per 100 m 2 for tunnel screen material (assuming that this material can be used for 10 consecutive crop cycles). In addition, there are environmental benefits from a reduction of pesticide use. Farmers will have to cope with the initial investment for the screen material, which is, however, very cost-effective and locally available. Tunnel screens for vegetable protection can be easily combined with other integrated pest-management techniques.

Synergistic Effects of Agronet Covers and Companion Cropping on Reducing Whitefly Infestation and Improving Yield of Open Field-Grown Tomatoes

“…The current study's results could possibly offer support to the success of net covers as physical and visual barrier against migratory insect pests as reported by [38] whoshowed, while working with temporary tunnel screens in Benin, that the netting technology was an economically viable method amongst small-scale growers in protecting cabbage against diamondback moths [39], reporting a 38% to 72% reduction in insect incidence on cabbage grown under net tunnels in the Solomon Islands resulting to significantly higher economic returns.…”

Potential of Controlling Common Bean Insect Pests (Bean Stem Maggot (<i>Ophiomyia phaseoli</i>), Ootheca (<i>Ootheca bennigseni</i>) and Aphids (<i>Aphis fabae</i>)) Using Agronomic, Biological and Botanical Practices in Field

“…Agronet have been reported to lower the populations of, aphid [Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach)], borer [Hellula undalis (Fabricius)] and diamondback moth [Plutella xylostella (L.)] on cabbage as compared with cabbage treated with foliar insecticide and untreated controls [60]. Insect pest pressure and modified microclimate have leaded to improve tomato [Solanum lycopersicum (L.)] with net covering crops [61], cabbage [Brassica oleracea (L.)] and var.…”

Microclimate modification using eco-friendly nets and floating row covers improves tomato (<i>Lycopersicon esculentum</i>) yield and quality for small holder farmers in East Africa

“…The use of EFNs and FRCs in protected cultivation was tested in Africa [9,10] and Europe [11], respectively and proved to be effective in microclimate modification. EFNs were also used in Kenya to improve tomato and cabbage (Brassica oleracea var.…”