Current and future pest management strategies in polycultural systems in East Africa

Abasa, R.O. (1983) Current and future pest management strategies in polycultural systems in East Africa. Insect Science and its Application, 4 (1-2). pp. 167-171.

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Abstract

Polycultural farming is widely practised in East Africa and has the advantage of ensuring a steady supply of food for the family throughout seasons of adequate rainfall. The food crops interplanted are cereals, root and oil crops with at least one legume species. There is a large pest complex associated with the system, but the severity of attack has only been quantified for a few. Pest management is largely indirect relying on natural enemies, weather conditions and removal and destruction of damaged plants. Wood ash is probably the only direct control applied. Crop yield losses are on the average minimal. Among pest management strategies proposed for the future are: introduction and propagation of pest resistant high-yield crop varieties, compatibility between food crops interplanted, suitability of soil types for a given combination, augmentation of beneficial insects and the use of nematode-suppressor plants either as interplants or during crop rotation and fallowing

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: Polycultural farming system; monocultural farming system; peasant farmer; pest complexes; current and future pest management strategies; compatibility between crops; crop resistance
Author Affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya
Subjects: Plant Protection
Divisions: Other Crops
Depositing User: Ms K Syamalamba
Date Deposited: 14 Aug 2012 05:14
Last Modified: 14 Aug 2012 05:15
URI: http://eprints.icrisat.ac.in/id/eprint/7353

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