Vegetable integrated Push–Pull technology: implications for fall armyworm management

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Phytoparasitica

Publication Date

7-1-2026

Abstract

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), a highly destructive pest of maize causing substantial yield losses in sub-Saharan Africa. Dependence on synthetic insecticides is not only costly for smallholder farmers but also contributes to health hazards, environmental contamination, and resistance development. This study assessed the performance of a recently developed Vegetable-Integrated Push–Pull Technology (VIPPT) as a sustainable alternative for fall armyworm management. VIPPT combined maize with either cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), onion (Allium cepa), or coriander (Coriandrum sativum) within a randomized complete block design across two seasons. Five treatments (three vegetable-PPTs, standard PPT, and maize monocrop) were evaluated for pest infestation, crop yield, and beneficial insect diversity. Fall armyworm infestations were significantly lower in vegetable-integrated PPT plots, with cabbage-PPT recording the lowest infestation levels of 1.72 ± 0.14 in trial 1 and 1.05 ± 0.11 in trial 2, compared to the monocrop, which recorded 3.64 ± 0.35 and 2.74 ± 0.20 larvae per six tagged plants in trials 1 and 2, respectively. Cabbage-PPT also achieved the highest maize yields with an average of 2,996 ± 409 kg/ha in trial1 and 4,823 ± 405 kg/ha in trial 2, whereas, the control plots consistently recorded the lowest yields, averaging 985 ± 52.93 kg/ha in trial 1 and 1,536 ± 105 kg/ha in trial 2. Moreover, onion-PPT supported the greatest insect diversity (Shannon diversity index = 0.862). These findings highlight the potential of VIPPT as an ecologically sustainable and effective strategy for fall armyworm suppression and biodiversity enhancement in maize agroecosystems.

Keywords

Fall armyworm, Intercropping, Push–Pull technology, Sustainable pest management, Vegetables

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