Research says maize plus legume (Desmodium) intercropping reduce #fallarmyworm damage in maize crops

Research says maize plus legume (Desmodium) intercropping reduce #fallarmyworm damage in maize crops

Habitat manipulation in the form of cover crops, intercrops, maintaining flower strips in the main field increases the activity and ‘fitness’ of pest natural enemies and thereby minimize pest pressure in agriculture (natural enemies hypothesis). In another side, the probability of finding a host in diversified crops is reduced in the diversified field (resource concentration).

Intercropping repels or deter herbivores because of non-crop visual and chemical cues, create a physical barrier and restrict the inter-plant movement or provide floral resources to the pest natural enemies.  Study says, maize intercropped with Desmodium reduced percent plant damage by reducing the number of live #fallarmyworm larvae compared to the maize monocrop. Trichogramma parasitization on egg mass of #fallarmyworm was also the highest in maize plus broad bean intercropped field compared to the maize monocrop. Further researches are needed to validate this findings for wider adoption on a large geographical scale. 

I have tagged this link to the following researchers who have been working in the area of ‘cultural and agroecological management’ of FAW, @Léna Durocher-Granger, @ADONI GINNU, @Stefan Diener, @Simone Mendes, @Osman Mohamud Mohamed raage raage, @Joao Saraiva, @Ivan Hiltpold, @Frédéric Baudron, @Sebastian Scott, @Adesina Wahab, @Mohammed Idris