Push–pull Agricultural Pest Management Strategies and Benefits

Push-pull agricultural pest management is a clever approach to keeping pests at bay. By using a combination of plants that repel and attract pests, farmers can reduce the need for chemical pesticides.

This strategy involves planting "push" crops that repel pests, such as certain types of grasses and flowers. These plants release chemicals that deter pests from entering the field.

The "pull" crops, on the other hand, attract pests away from the main crop. For example, certain types of plants like cowpeas and desmodium can lure pests away from crops like maize and sorghum.

By using this push-pull strategy, farmers can reduce pest damage and increase crop yields.

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Push-pull is an innovative pest management technique developed by the International Centre of Insect Physiology (ICIPE) in Kenya.

It has been proven to be highly effective in controlling both stemborer moths and Striga weed in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way.

The technique involves using plants that emit volatile chemicals, known as kairomones, to repel stemborer moths and drive them away from the main crop.

Legumes of the genus Desmodium, such as silverleaf Desmodium and greenleaf Desmodium, are commonly used for this purpose.

These plants are low-growing and don't interfere with the growth of crops, but can suppress weeds and improve soil quality by increasing soil organic matter content and fixing nitrogen.

Desmodium also serves as a highly nutritious animal feed and effectively suppresses Striga weeds through an allelopathic mechanism.

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Push-pull technology is a clever way to manage stemborer pests in agriculture. It involves using behaviour-modifying stimuli to manipulate the distribution and abundance of stemborers and beneficial insects.

The technique is based on an in-depth understanding of chemical ecology, agrobiodiversity, and plant-plant and insect-plant interactions. This knowledge is used to intercrop a cereal crop with a repellent intercrop like Desmodium uncinatum, also known as silverleaf.

Gravid stemborer females are repelled from the main crop by the defence odours produced by Desmodium. This helps to prevent them from laying eggs on the cereal crop.

The pull element is provided by a border crop like Bracharia or Napier grass, which is attractive to stemborers. This helps to lure them away from the cereal crop and towards the trap crop.

Desmodium not only repels stemborer moths but also deters the growth of the Striga weed. This makes it a valuable intercrop for farmers.

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The push-pull system is a nature-based approach to agricultural pest management that relies on a combination of companion crops to protect maize and sorghum from stemborers.

The system involves intercropping maize with the legume crop Desmodium, which produces defence odours that repel stemborer moths away from the maize. Desmodium also deters the growth of the Striga weed, resulting in significant yield increases of about 2 tonnes/hectare per cropping season.

The "pull" element in the push-pull system is provided by Bracharia or Napier grass planted as a border crop around a maize plot. Napier grass produces significantly higher levels of attractive volatile compounds than maize or sorghum, attracting stemborers away from the main crop.

Here are some key benefits of the push-pull system:

The Push-Pull System is a game-changer for farmers in East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. It's a simple yet effective way to control stemborers and striga, two major pests that can devastate crops.

Silverleaf desmodium is a key component of the push-pull system, and it's grown in a one-to-one basis with maize. After harvesting the maize, the desmodium plants are allowed to set seed, which the farmer can harvest or sell.

The push-pull system relies on a combination of companion crops, including Napier grass, Signal grass, and Sudan grass. These grasses are planted around and among maize or sorghum fields to attract and trap stemborers.

Napier grass produces significantly higher levels of attractive volatile compounds than maize or sorghum, making it an excellent trap crop. In fact, Napier grass produces about 100-fold more of these compounds in the first hour of nightfall than maize or sorghum.

The sticky sap produced by Napier grass tissues traps stemborer larvae, causing about 80% of them to die. This is just one of the many ways the push-pull system helps to control stemborers.

Maize grown in push-pull systems has higher levels of two benzoxazinoid glycosides, compounds known for their antiherbivore properties. These glycosides were present in greater abundance in maize leaves from push-pull fields compared to those from conventional fields.

The push-pull system has been successfully implemented in many regions, including Muranga, Muragua, and Kirinyaga districts in Central Kenya. In fact, one enterprising region even devised a way to propagate silverleaf desmodium vegetatively by taking cuttings.

The services of Small to Medium Enterprises, such as Western Seeds, have been brought in to collaborate with farmers and provide certified seed. This has helped to expand the push-pull system and make it more accessible to farmers.

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The push-pull system is a game-changer for farmers, especially in regions where Striga weed is a major problem. By intercropping maize with Desmodium, farmers can repel stemborer moths and deter Striga growth.

Desmodium continuously produces defence odours that repel stemborer moths away from the maize, making it a crucial component of the push-pull system. This technique is straightforward and can be easily adopted by farmers.

The pull element is provided by Bracharia or Napier grass planted as a border crop around a maize plot, offering multiple benefits. It's attractive to stemborers, fixes nitrogen into soil, and serves as a nutritious animal feed.

Desmodium also controls the parasitic weed, Striga, resulting in significant yield increases of about 2 tonnes/hectare per cropping season. This is achieved through allelopathy, which promotes the germination of Striga seeds or inhibits seedling growth.

The effects of Desmodium on Striga are thought to be related to isoflavanones produced in Desmodium roots, which can either promote germination or inhibit growth. This phenomenon is known as "suicidal germination", reducing the Striga seed bank in the soil.

Other Desmodium species have also been evaluated and have similar effects on stemborers and Striga weed. They are currently being used as intercrops in maize, sorghum, and millets.

The push-pull system is not only effective in controlling Striga, but it's also low-cost and nature-based, eliminating the need for herbicides or pesticides. It enriches the soil, provides animal feed for livestock or to sell at market, and offers a sustainable solution for farmers.

Here are the key benefits of the push-pull system:

The push-pull agricultural pest management technique is a low-cost method that's good for the environment. It doesn't use herbicides or pesticides, and it even enriches the soil.

One of the benefits of this technique is that it provides animal feed for livestock or to sell at market. This can be a valuable source of income for farmers.

The technique is straightforward: farmers intercrop their maize with Desmodium, which repels stemborer moths and deters the growth of the Striga weed.

Here are some key benefits of the push-pull system:

In Kenya, the push-pull technology was disseminated through 110 farmer-teachers, who taught an average of 10 new farmers every year. This approach was successful, with 2000 new farmers learning the technique within 2 years.

The push-pull system has been shown to be effective in controlling stemborers and Striga, and it's now being used in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

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Push-pull agriculture leads to beneficial economic outcomes for individual smallholder and subsistence farmers through larger income streams.

The return on investment of push-pull methods for farmers is over 2.2, compared to 1.8 for pesticide use and .8 for monocrop. This is a significant advantage for farmers who adopt this technology.

Push-pull technology also helps boost local economies by increasing the income of farmers, which in turn boosts the standards of living and prosperity of the community at large.

Push-pull agriculture leads to significant economic benefits for individual smallholder and subsistence farmers, with larger income streams coming from the sale of surplus grain, desmodium seeds, fodder, and milk.

The return on investment of push-pull methods for farmers is over 2.2, compared to 1.8 for pesticide use and 0.8 for monocrop. This means that farmers can expect a substantial increase in their net income.

Startup costs for push-pull technology are variable, but they significantly decline in following growing years. This makes it a more sustainable option for farmers in the long run.

Large multinational corporations, such as Monsanto, are the primary economic opponents to push-pull methods, as they produce seasonal inputs like chemical pesticides and high-yield seeds that require such inputs.

Adoption of push-pull technology in Kenya has led to a 61.9% increase in maize yield, along with a 15.3% increase in the cost of maize production. This has resulted in a 38.6% increase in the average net income brought in from maize.

Households that have adopted push-pull technology have seen increased economic earnings, associated with more years of education and improved access to rural institutions.

In 1995, ICIPE, in collaboration with KARI and the Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture, began to expand the push–pull system into new regions, including the Suba District and Trans-Nzoia.

Extremes were represented by these two regions, with the Suba District being arid and infertile, and Trans-Nzoia being wet and highly fertile.

Push-pull agricultural pest management is a complex system, and like any system, it's not without its challenges. One major threat is the potential for weeds to outcompete crops for water and nutrients.

Weeds can be a significant problem in push-pull systems, and can reduce crop yields by up to 50%. This is because they can grow faster and stronger than crops, using up valuable resources.

The use of herbicides can be a challenge in push-pull systems, as they can harm beneficial insects and other non-target organisms. This is why it's essential to use integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that minimize harm to the environment.

Pests like the African stem borer can cause significant damage to crops, reducing yields and impacting food security. In some cases, pest infestations can be so severe that they lead to crop failure.

The push-pull system relies on a diverse range of plants to provide a range of benefits, including pest control and improved soil health. However, this diversity can also make the system more vulnerable to disease and pests.

Climate change is another significant threat to push-pull systems, as changing weather patterns can disrupt the delicate balance of the system. This can lead to reduced crop yields and decreased food security.

Push-pull systems involve growing repellent plants alongside attractive plants to keep pests away from the main crop. This approach can also provide additional benefits through improved habitat and resources for natural enemies.

Ground-dwelling invertebrates are often surveyed using pitfall traps, which are small pots buried in the ground up to their rim. These traps can be left empty or filled with liquid preservatives or water to capture pests.

The goal of push-pull systems is to create a combination of repellent and attractive plants that work together to control pests and improve crop yields.

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Push-pull systems involve intercropping the main crop with plants that repel pests and growing trap crops that attract pests around the main crop.

This combination of repellent and attractive companion plants keeps invertebrate pests away from the crop.

Ground-dwelling invertebrates are frequently surveyed using pitfall traps – small pots buried in the ground up to their rim and left empty or filled with liquid preservatives or water.

Pitfall traps are a simple yet effective way to monitor pest populations in the field.

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In Kenya, a region in Muranga, Muragua, and Kirinyaga districts in Central Kenya devised an ingenious way to propagate silverleaf desmodium vegetatively by taking cuttings.

This approach was necessary because they were unable to obtain sufficient seed for the expanding push–pull programme.

The push–pull system in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania has been successful in controlling stem borers and striga, leading to the expansion of the programme to more regions.

Lucy, a widow with four children, was able to work with the push-pull project in Kyotera, Uganda.

This project was implemented in collaboration with ICIPE.

Lucy grows Napier grass feed in her push-pull crop management, which is a key component of the project.

The push-pull project has had a significant impact on Lucy's life, allowing her to provide for her children.

By working with the project, Lucy has been able to improve her livelihood and increase her food security.

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In Kenya, the main approach for disseminating the push-pull technology was through 110 farmer-teachers, who taught new farmers how to plant push-pull fields.

These farmer-teachers were provided with a notebook, a bicycle, and a bicycle maintenance allowance of Ksh 750 ($10) per month.

Within 2 years, these farmer-teachers were able to teach push-pull technology to 2000 new farmers.

The push-pull system is a straightforward technique that involves intercropping maize with the legume crop Desmodium, which repels stemborer moths away from the maize.

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Desmodium also deters the growth of the Striga weed.

In Kenya, 14 districts have comparative data on yields, showing the effectiveness of the push-pull system.

The technique also involves planting Bracharia or Napier grass as a border crop around a maize plot, which offers multiple benefits, including being attractive to stemborers and fixing nitrogen into soil.

This border crop is also a nutritious animal feed.

In some regions, farmers have found alternative ways to propagate Desmodium vegetatively by taking cuttings, such as in Muranga, Muragua, and Kirinyaga districts in Central Kenya.

The push-pull method is a game-changer for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. This approach uses locally available plants, making it more economically feasible and culturally appropriate.

One of the key reasons this method is gaining popularity is its similarity to traditional African practices of intercropping. This has been a major factor in its success, with over 68,800 smallholder farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda already adopting the technology.

Field days have been found to be an extremely effective way to disseminate information and encourage farmers to adopt push-pull methods. In fact, they lead to an approximate 26.8% increase in adoption.

Farmer field schools and farmer teachers are also playing a crucial role in promoting the push-pull technology. These programs have been shown to sway farmers' decisions, with a 22.2% chance of convincing them to adopt the technology.

The distribution of desmodium seeds and other required inputs has also been instrumental in boosting adoption rates. By partnering with seed companies and local farmer groups, these resources have become more accessible to smallholder farmers.

The market for desmodium seeds has been stimulated, and the seeds have become more affordable for smallholder farmers. This is a major breakthrough, as the high cost of desmodium seeds was previously a significant barrier to the spread of push-pull technology.

The potential for push-pull technology to address food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa is vast. With an annual adoption rate of 30% and a potential annual adoption rate of 50%, this solution has the potential to make a significant impact.