A climate-adapted push-pull system effectively controls fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith), in maize in East Africa

Fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda(J E Smith), an economically important pest native to tropical and sub-tropical America has recently invaded Africa, causing substantial damage to maize and other crops. We eval-uated functionality of a companion cropping system,‘climate-adapted push-pull’, developed for control of cerealstemborers in drier agro-ecologies, as an added tool for the management of fall armyworm. The technologycomprises intercropping maize with drought-tolerant greenleaf desmodium,Desmodium intortum(Mill.) Urb.,and plantingBrachiariacv Mulato II as a border crop around this intercrop.

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