A Primer on Planting and Managing 'Push‑Pull' Fields for Stemborer ...

How To Establish A Push-pull PlotStep 1. Land preparation• Clear your land during the dry season.• Plough and harrow your land to a fine tilth (until the soilhas no large lumps) before the onset of the rains.• Desmodium has very small seeds; therefore the soil shouldbe carefully prepared so that it is as fine and clean aspossible.• Measure out your push-pull plot to a maximum size of 50by 50 m (Figure 11).• If you wish to layout a push-pull plot on land that is largerthan 50 by 50 m, then measure out those pieces of landinto plots of maximum 50 x 50 m size.• If your land is less than 50 by 50 m, the push pull technologywill still work; however, do not plant push-pull in plots lessthan 10 by 10 m as the Napier grass will have a shadingeffect on the maize crop.Area for planting Napiergrass around the maizeArea for maizeand desmodiumintercropping1 meter path roundArea for planting Napiergrass around the maizeFigure 11. Layout of a push-pull plot13