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

CONTENTSList of Illustrations...................................................................ivForeword....................................................................................viStemborers and Striga Weeds..............................................1Stemborers............................................................................1Striga weeds..........................................................................6Control of Stemborers and Striga Weeds Using a‘Push‐Pull’ Strategy...................................................................9What is ‘push-pull’?.............................................................9Benefits of adopting a push-pull strategy ............. 11How to Establish a Push-Pull Plot.................................... 13Step 1. Land preparation............................................... 13Step 2. Planting material............................................... 14Step 3. Planting the push-pull crops......................... 16Step 4. Weeding................................................................ 21Step 5. Management of Napier grass........................ 25Step 6. Harvesting of maize.......................................... 27Step 7. Management of desmodium........................ 27Step 8. Harvesting and processingdesmodium seed............................................... 30Planting Push-Pull During the Second and SubsequentSeasons..................................................................................... 34Step 1. Land preparation............................................... 34Step 2. Planting the second crop ofpush-pull............................................................... 35Step 3. Weeding................................................................ 36Step 4. Management of Napier grass........................ 37Step 5. Management of desmodium........................ 38Feeding Your Cow................................................................. 38Things Not To Do................................................................... 40Frequently Asked Questions............................................. 41Glossary..................................................................................... 46iii