Push-Pull Strategies and Habitat Manipulation for Sustainable Insect Pest Management in Crops
Sachin Kumar Yadav
School of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering, IFTM University, Moradabad 244102, India.
D. K. Narwade *
Department of Entomology, PGI MPKV Rahuri Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra -413722, India.
Chandan Kumar Panigrahi
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan, Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar - 751003, Odisha, India.
Gyanendra Kumar
Department of Zoology, National P.G. College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226001, India.
Sandeep Rout
Faculty of Agriculture, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha -754006, India.
Prem Shanker
Plant Protection, Krishi Vigyan Kendra- Basti U.P., ANDUAT, KUMARGANJ, AYODHYA -U.P., India.
Kushal Chaturvedi
Department of Entomology, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, India.
Awanindra Kumar Tiwari
Entomology, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Raebareli, UP, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, UP, India.
Shivam Kumar Pandey
Rashtriya Raksha University, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Effective and sustainable management of insect pests remains a major challenge in crop production worldwide. Conventional pest control heavily relies on chemical pesticides, which pose risks to human health and the environment. Push-pull strategies and habitat manipulation have emerged as promising ecological approaches to manage pests by exploiting their interactions with crops and the surrounding environment. Push-pull involves intercropping main crops with repellent "push" plants and attractive "pull" plants to deter pests and lure them away from the main crop. Habitat manipulation enhances the agroecosystem to support beneficial insects that naturally suppress pests.
This review examines the principles, implementation, and efficacy of push-pull and habitat manipulation strategies in various cropping systems. Successful examples are discussed, including the use of Desmodium as a push plant and Napier grass as a pull plant to control stemborers and Striga weed in maize in Africa, and planting flower strips and beetle banks to boost natural enemies in Europe and USA. Key advantages of these strategies include reduced reliance on pesticides, targeted pest control, promotion of biodiversity, and provision of additional ecosystem services.
However, challenges exist in terms of identifying suitable companion plants, allowing time for benefits to accrue, and integrating into commercial farming systems. Future research should optimize plant combinations and management practices for specific pest-crop contexts. Engaging farmers through participatory approaches is crucial for wider adoption. Ultimately, incorporating push-pull and habitat manipulation into Integrated Pest Management programs can contribute to more sustainable, economical, and environmentally-sound insect pest control in agriculture.
Keywords: Push-pull, habitat manipulation, sustainable pest management, integrated pest management, agroecology