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Role of trap crops in Integrated Pest Management
Trap crops are the plants that are grown to attract insects or other organisms to protect target crops from pest attack. The principle of trap cropping rests on the fact that virtually all pests show a distinct preference to certain crop stage.
More economical
Farmers are being motivated to utilise trap cropping because the cost of chemical pesticides and the number of treatments required are so high that more economical ways have to be developed.
Additionally, the pests have often evolved resistance to commonly used pesticides, which requires some alternative control strategies.
Must be attractive
Yet another function of trap crop is their use in attracting natural enemies of pest insects. The essential feature in trap cropping is that the trap crop must be more attractive to the pest than the main crop.
It should occupy a small area and should be established early or later or along with the main crop. Some important trap crops commonly used in pest management include bhendi/okra in cotton to trap bollworms and marigold at the border of the field.
Sesamum is commonly being used as a trap crop to attract diamond back moth in both cabbage and cauliflower. Two rows of sesamum for every 25 rows of cabbage or cauliflower should be planted to trap the pest.
Castor or sunflower
In groundnut, castor or sunflower can be used to attract leaf eating caterpillar on the border of the field.
In tomato, marigold or cucumber is commonly used as a trap crop for every 15 rows of the main crop to attract tomato fruit borer. In case of field beans, chrysanthemum acts as a trap crop against leaf minor.
D.N. Kambrekar
S.B. Jagginavar
& N.D. Sunitha
Department of
Agricultural Entomology
College of Agriculture, UAS Campus, Bijapur, Karnataka
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