Economic performance of the ‘push–pull’ technology for stemborer and Striga control in smallholder farming systems in western Kenya

Khan, Zeyaur R.; Midega, Charles A. O.; Njuguna, Esther; Amudavi, David M.; Wanyama, J.; Pickett, John A.

doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2008.01.005

Cited by 68 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In field trials of the present study, four rows of B. carinata plants around B. juncea plots were grown, and there is a need to optimize this for obtaining maximum efficiency of trap crop. The economic value of trap crop is an important factor in its large scale use (Hokkanen 1991;Shelton and Badenes-Perez 2006;Khan et al 2008Khan et al , 2009. It is, therefore, important to develop an optimal planting pattern for B. carinata with strips either comprising the smallest possible percentage of the total field, or to offset commercial mustard losses by the grain yield obtained from B. carinata, though not equal to commercial mustard.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential of Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata as a trap crop for large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae infesting Indian mustard, Brassica juncea

Kumar

2016

J Pest Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae (L.), is an important pest of Indian mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Czern., and inflicts heavy damage to all the above ground plant parts with strong yield reducing impacts. Farmers have few practical options other than to spray insecticides to protect their crop. In this study, an attempt was made during 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 crop seasons at Ludhiana, India, to evaluate Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata A. Braun as a trap crop to manage this pest as an alternate pest management strategy. B. carinata borders surrounding B. juncea were compared to chemically protected B. juncea and control (without B. carinata borders) plots for their effects on P. brassicae infestation and grain yield. Oviposition preference of adult butterflies was studied in a two-choice test in field cages, while the effect of two host plants on larval performance was studied under laboratory conditions under no choice conditions. B. juncea plots bordered with B. carinata harbored significantly lower larval population compared to control B. juncea plots during both the seasons. The grain yield in the bordered plots was also significantly higher than that from control plots and was statistically non-significant from that obtained in chemically protected plots. Female butterflies showed distinct oviposition preference for B. carinata over B. juncea and the larvae reared on B. carinata completed development in shorter period and grew bigger and heavier than those reared on B. juncea. Results indicated that B.carinata has potential to be used as trap crop to manage P. brassicae.Keywords Brassica carinata Á Brassica juncea Á Oviposition preference Á Pieris brassicae Á Push-pull strategy Key message• With the aim to provide environmentally sound ''alternative'' pest management strategy against Pieris brassicae, Ethiopian mustard was evaluated as a trap crop around Indian mustard. • Ethiopian mustard is highly preferred for egg laying and feeding by adults and larvae, respectively, compared to Indian mustard and can be used as an effective trap crop against this pest. • However, further research is required to optimize trap cropping system for maximum efficiency under field conditions.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential of Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata as a trap crop for large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae infesting Indian mustard, Brassica juncea

Kumar

2016

J Pest Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Indeed these farmers have reported the benefits above in addition to increased milk production (Khan et al, 2008a). These have resulted in significant improvements in economic returns to the farmers, with cost-benefit analyses showing significantly higher returns to both land and labour compared to conventional farmer practices (Khan et al, 2008c). The push-pull technology has thus opened up significant opportunities for smallholder growth Figure 1 | How the push -pull technology works.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Secondary metabolites with striga seed germination stimulatory and postgermination inhibitory activities are present in the root exudates of Desmodium incinatum, which directly interferes with parasitism (Khan et al, 2008c). This combination thus provides a novel means of in situ reduction of the striga seed bank in soil through efficient suicidal germination, even in the presence of cereal hosts in the vicinity (Tsanuo et al, 2003;Khan et al, 2008c;Hooper et al, 2010). Other Desmodium spp.…”

Section: What Partnerships Helped?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These directly benefit through improved cereal-livestock productivity, soils and incomes, ensuring their food and nutritional security. The increased income streams from the sale of grain surpluses, fodder and milk, and desmodium seeds enable these farmers to enter into cash economy (Khan et al, 2008c). Availability of smallholder disposable income is in turn injected into the local economy, thus ensuring improved livelihoods of the target communities.…”

Section: Number Of Hectares Covered By New Technologies or Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Push—pull technology: a conservation agriculture approach for integrated management of insect pests, weeds and soil health in Africa

Khan

Midega

Pittchar

et al. 2011

International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability

134

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Semiochemicals released by the Fig. 4 Schematic diagram of the "push-pull" system to control maize pests intercrop also attract natural enemies of pests (Khan et al 1997;Khan et al 2008b). Intercrops constitutively release volatiles such as (E)-ocimene and (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene which are typically released from maize when attacked by chewing herbivores.…”

Section: Induction and Priming Of Plant Defencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tackling the threat to food security caused by crop pests in the new millennium

Bruce

2010

Food Sec.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Crop yields are reduced and destabilized by pests which also affect the quality of harvested produce. To keep pace with growing demand, global food production needs to increase by an estimated 70% by 2050. Thus, the losses caused by pests need to be tackled. Synthetic pesticides have provided cost-effective control of pests over the last few decades but have several disadvantages. They may adversely affect natural enemies of insect pests, which would otherwise provide a degree of control and pests may evolve resistance to the pesticide. The discovery rate of novel bioactive compounds is low and their exploitation increasingly inhibited by stringent regulatory requirements. Use of resistant crop cultivars is another solution but when based on single genes it also suffers from the evolution of biotypes of pests that can overcome the resistance conferred by the gene. Biocontrol with natural enemies can contribute to pest management but biocontrol agents are often hard to maintain at sufficiently high levels in open field environments. New solutions could include novel resistant cultivars with multiple resistance genes, suitable epigenetic imprints and improved defence responses that are induced by attack. Plant activator agrochemicals could be used to switch on natural plant defence. Habitat manipulations such as pushpull can improve pest management and yields in less intensive systems. Genomic and transcriptomic information will facilitate development of new resistant crop cultivars once annotation and availability of data on multiple cultivars is improved. Knowledge of the chemical ecology of pest-plant interactions will be better exploited once the genes for biosynthesis of key plant metabolites are discovered. Genetic modification of crops has the potential for speeding the development of crops with novel resistance.

show abstract

Economic performance of the ‘push–pull’ technology for stemborer and Striga control in smallholder farming systems in western Kenya

Cited by 68 publications

References 26 publications

Potential of Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata as a trap crop for large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae infesting Indian mustard, Brassica juncea

Potential of Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata as a trap crop for large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae infesting Indian mustard, Brassica juncea

Push—pull technology: a conservation agriculture approach for integrated management of insect pests, weeds and soil health in Africa

Tackling the threat to food security caused by crop pests in the new millennium

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About