Ndakidemi, Baltazar J., Mbega, Ernest R., Ndakidemi, Patrick A., Stevenson, Philip C. ORCID: 0000-0002-0736-3619 , Belmain, Steven R. ORCID: 0000-0002-5590-7545 , Arnold, Sarah E. J. ORCID: 0000-0001-7345-0529 and Woolley, Victoria C. ORCID: 0000-0002-9439-6856 (2021) Natural pest regulation and its compatibility with other crop protection practices in smallholder bean farming systems. Biology, 10 (8):805. ISSN 2079-7737 (doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10080805)

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Abstract

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production and storage are limited by numerous constraints. Insect pests are often the most destructive. However, resource-constrained smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) often do little to manage pests. Where farmers do use a control strategy, it typically relies on chemical pesticides, which have adverse effects on the wildlife, crop pollinators, natural enemies, mammals, and the development of resistance by pests. Nature-based solutions —in particular, using biological control agents with sustainable approaches that include biopesticides, resistant varieties, and cultural tools—are alternatives to chemical control. However, significant barriers to their adoption in SSA include a lack of field data and knowledge on the natural enemies of pests, safety, efficacy, the spectrum of activities, the availability and costs of biopesticides, the lack of sources of resistance for different cultivars, and spatial and temporal inconsistencies for cultural methods. Here, we critically review the control options for bean pests, particularly the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae) and pod borers (Maruca vitrata). We identified natural pest regulation as the option with the greatest potential for this farming system. We recommend that farmers adapt to using biological control due to its compatibility with other sustainable approaches, such as cultural tools, resistant varieties, and biopesticides for effective management, especially in SSA.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	biological control; chemical control; biopesticides; habitat manipulation; predators; parasitoids; Aphis fabae; Maruca vitrata
Subjects:	S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Agriculture, Health & Environment Department
Last Modified:	10 Sep 2021 10:18
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/33633

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