Role of “banker plants” as a sustainable integrated Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) and Earias insulana (Boisd.) management

Abstract

To confront global demand to reduce the use of pesticides and its risk, this study tested the effectiveness of okra and corn as banker plants with Trichogramma evanescens release as a green innovation technology for the sustainable management of cotton bollworms in comparison to conventional chemical pesticides and the release of T. evanescens alone (control). We found that okra and corn with T. evanescens release were more effective in decreasing the incidence of cotton bollworms than the conventional chemical pesticides or T. evanescens alone. We also found that okra and corn encouraged the spread of bollworm natural enemies in the treated cotton fields, which had a large impact on the number of cotton bollworm larvae, thus reducing the need for conventional pesticides. Thus, banker plants combined with T. evanescens release can support agrobiodiversity and help realize the Sustainable integrated management strategies of the cotton bollworm by reducing the use of conventional chemical pesticides, encouraging the natural enemies. Thus, contributing to global warming reduction which caused by the overuse of conventional chemical pesticides.