Application of Trap Cropping as Companion Plants for the Management of Agricultural Pests: A Review

Abstract

Companion planting is a well-known strategy to manage insect pests and support a natural enemy population through vegetative diversification. Trap cropping is one such type of special companion planting strategy that is traditionally used for insect pest management through vegetative diversification used to attract insect pests away from the main crops during a critical time period by providing them an alternative preferred choice. Trap crops not only attract the insects for feeding and oviposition, but also act as a sink for any pathogen that may be a vector. Considerable research has been conducted on different trap crops as companion plant species to develop improved pest management strategies. Despite this, little consensus exists regarding optimal trap cropping systems for diverse pest management situations. An advantage of trap cropping over an artificially released natural enemy-based biological control could be an attractive remedy for natural enemies in cropping systems. Besides, many trap crop species can conserve natural enemies. This secondary effect of attracting natural enemies may be an advantage compared to the conventional means of pest control. However, this additional consideration requires a more knowledge-intensive background to designing an effective trap cropping system. We have provided information based on different trap crops as companion plant, their functions and an updated list of trap cropping applications to attract insect pests and natural enemies that should be proven as helpful in future trap cropping endeavors.

Identifying plant DNA in the faeces of a generalist insect pest to inform trap cropping strategy

“…The deliberate use of weed species to attract natural enemies for insect pests' population regulation has been studied extensively (Sarkar et al 2018). The findings here suggest that this approach to pest management (when Considering that the identified taxa were assigned up to the genus level, it is quite hard to anticipate the origin of those taxa in the samples analysed.…”

Foliar behaviour of biogenic semi-volatiles: potential applications in sustainable pest management

“…earlier flowering, preferred flower colour or scent have been used as the basis of various trap cropping strategies (reviewed by, e.g. Hokkanen 1991;Parolin et al 2012;Sarkar et al 2018). Dead-end trap crops have the benefit of fast and cost-effective reduction of pest populations (e.g.…”

Breeding Elite Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata(L.) Walp] Varieties for Improved Food Security and Income in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

“…Recently, Mukoye and collaborators [55] reported yield losses ranging from 10-100% in Western Kenya. The use of clean seeds and resistant varieties are the most cost-effective practices to control viruses [55], but recent research has shown promising results with IPM and the use of plant extracts in controlling the transmission agents, i.e., pests [56]. The use of allelopathic effects, a technology that has gained prominent use to manage field pests in Asia and Latin America [57][58][59] is also another alternative to be explored in Africa.…”

“…The use of allelopathic effects, a technology that has gained prominent use to manage field pests in Asia and Latin America [57][58][59] is also another alternative to be explored in Africa. Trap cropping [56], a well-known strategy to manage insect pest through diversification of the plant strata to stimulate the population of natural enemies is also a practice to be massified.…”