Question

Which of the following provides protection by preventing the pests from reaching the main crop ?

• A. Intercropping
• B. Crop rotation
• C. Trap crops
• D. Variation in sowing time

Hint:

Trap cropping is a highly sustainable, eco-friendly method in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that minimizes the need to apply synthetic chemical pesticides across the entire main crop.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Cultural pest control involves agricultural practices that reduce pest populations or prevent them from damaging the primary economic crop.
These practices manipulate the crop environment to make it less favorable for pests.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate how each cultural practice affects pests:
1. Intercropping: Growing two or more crops simultaneously on the same field disrupts pest movement and visual cues, but does not specifically attract them away to prevent them from reaching the main crop.
2. Crop rotation: This breaks the life cycle of soil-borne pests and pathogens by replacing their host plant in successive seasons, but does not act as a physical or visual barrier during the active growing season.
3. Trap crops: These are plants grown near or surrounding the main crop.
They are highly attractive to pests, drawing them away from the main crop.
By congregating on the trap crop, the pests are prevented from reaching and damaging the principal crop.
Once pests gather on the trap crops, they can be targeted with localized insecticides or mechanically destroyed. An example is planting marigolds around tomato crops to trap nematodes and caterpillars.
4. Variation in sowing time: This shifts the crop cycle to avoid peak pest activity, but does not use a barrier crop.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Trap crops protect the main crop by preventing pests from reaching it, corresponding to option (C).