Push-Pull Strategies and Habitat Manipulation for Sustainable Insect Pest Management in Crops

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.