United Kingdom
January 8, 2008
Research published today (8
January) by scientists funded by the
Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) reveals the effectiveness
of using ‘push-pull’ agricultural techniques in developing
countries to save crops from insect damage. Scientists at
BBSRC-sponsored Rothamsted Research, working with researchers
principally from icipe in Kenya, have found that the approach
produces real and tangible benefits for subsistence farmers and,
if adopted widely in African countries, could have a huge impact
in reducing crops lost to pest infestation. The researchers also
show that the ‘push-pull’ approach has intriguing potential for
reducing animal infections, and potentially even to control
human disease.
‘Push-pull’ entails mixing, into a field of crops, plants that
repel insect pests (the ‘push’) and planting, around a crop,
diversionary trap plants that attract the pests (the ‘pull’). In
the Rothamsted studies, the ‘push’ plant, desmodium, was also
found to give extremely effective control of the parasitic
African Witchweed.
The research paper, published online in a special edition of the
journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, shows
that using the ‘push-pull’ approach to manage pest problems
offers real benefits in areas where economic and ecological
factors provide disincentives to employ pesticides and
fertilizers. In areas of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda where the
approach has been adopted, the profit a farmer can produce per
hectare has increased by between three and four times the amount
generated by standard practices. Currently, around 10,000
subsistence households in East Africa have adopted the approach,
but the potential impact if the practice were to spread more
widely is enormous.
‘Push-pull’ farming harnesses the power of semiochemicals
(behaviour controlling chemicals). Scientists can exploit the
properties of certain plants releasing semiochemicals that
either attract or repel devastating insect pests. Up until now,
the ‘push’ and ‘pull’ plants have been harvested and used as
cattle feed, but new research in Kenya has shown that
traditional food crops, such as beans, can be planted amongst
the ‘push’ plants to provide additional food for the farmer’s
family.
Professor John Pickett, a leading researcher at Rothamsted
Research on ‘push-pull’ approaches, said: “For the first time,
we have been able to show the real and tangible benefits that
using push-pull farming brings to subsistence communities in
Africa. Many farmers in developing countries do not have the
resources or predictable rainfall needed to invest in
fertilizers and pesticides. By exploiting 'push' and 'pull'
crops, our research has shown that communities can significantly
increase the benefit value of the crop their land can produce.
At the moment, an impressive number of East African farmers have
adopted the technique, but the overall proportion is still
small. If more subsistence farmers used 'push-pull' approaches,
there could be massive improvements in the amount of food they
could grow.
“Western farmers could also benefit from adopting the practice.
Most areas of farming are under pressure to reduce the amount of
pesticide they use and planting complimentary ‘push-pull’ crops
could be an effective way of doing this.”
Professor Nigel Brown, BBSRC Director of Science and Technology,
commented: “This project is an excellent example of the benefits
of applying BBSRC science to issues facing farmers in the
developing world.”
There are also other potential uses for ‘push-pull’ approaches.
The Rothamsted scientists and other international groups are
developing techniques that could help control further pests and
diseases. Prof Pickett explains: “New studies have shown that
the principles of ‘pushing’ an insect away from its target and
‘pulling’ it towards a diversion works effectively to control
insect-spread cattle diseases and sleeping sickness, a human
disease spread by the tsetse fly.”
The Rothamsted Research group, together with their colleagues at
icipe, Kenya, will soon begin work on new BBSRC-funded research
aimed at harnessing the weed-controlling properties of the
‘push’ plant, but in a less labour intensive way.
New research on the effectiveness of ‘push-pull’ farming
practices in East Africa and a review of the current state of
research in this area is published online in a special edition
of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B
on January 8 2008.
‘Integrated pest management: the push–pull approach for
controlling insect pests and weeds of cereals, and its potential
for other agricultural systems including animal husbandry’
Hassanali, Herren, Khan, Pickett and Woodcock.
The research conducted by Rothamsted Research is supported by
the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC), through grant funding and core support for the
Institute. The research was also supported by Gatsby Charitable
Foundation, UK and Kilimo Trust, East Africa.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC) is the UK funding agency for research in the life
sciences. Sponsored by Government, BBSRC annually invests around
£380 million in a wide range of research that makes a
significant contribution to the quality of life for UK citizens
and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders
including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and
pharmaceutical sectors. |
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