Opportunities for expansion of push-pull technology as an agroecological and sustainable intensification approach in Africa

Abstract

The push-pull technology (PPT) has often been presented as a management strategy for stemborers and witchweed. However, its value as an agronomic practice and an agroecological approach remains largely underappreciated. This review aims to appraise the PPT used in eastern Africa, synthesize evidence for its ecological and economic benefits, and identify barriers to its adoption and opportunities for its expansion to other crops and farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Push-pull was first introduced as a pest management strategy during the 1980s in Australia, where Pyke and colleagues (1987) 1 coined the term. Since then, various forms of push-pull technology (PPT) have been tested in agricultural, forestry, medical and veterinary settings worldwide 2-12. In Africa, PPT was initially developed to control stemborers in smallholder cereal and sugarcane production systems 3,13-15. Over time, this form of PPT has proven effective in mitigating yield losses due to stemborer damage. PPT is also considered environmentally friendly as it utilises plant diversification and non-toxic semiochemicals from companion plants to manipulate pest behaviours 11. Instead of pesticides, short-or long-term visual or chemical cues 16 from semiochemicals, pest-repelling and trap crops, host and non-host volatiles, insect pheromones, antifeedants and oviposition deterrents are applied as potential stimuli and deterrents in various forms of PPT 14,16,17. This strategy can also attract natural enemies into crop fields, enhancing biological pest control 14,18. Established mechanisms for attracting natural enemies include: (a) providing resources for natural enemies, such as floral or extrafloral nectar; or (b) attractive volatiles directly affecting pest or natural enemy behaviour 3,12,14,19. The scientific underpinnings of PPT and how it reduces pest ...