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Pest control, productivity, and profitability improvement of associated crops in organic banana cropping systems in Benin, West Africa

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Abstract

In Africa, mixed cropping and intercropping are widely practiced, boosting the provision of ecosystem services such as improved pest control, nutrient cycling, and systems profitability. This study aimed at characterizing the role of associated crops in organic banana and plantain cropping systems and investigating their contribution to pest control and improved productivity of the system. The type of associated crops, crop productivity/profitability, and arthropod communities were assessed in 12 organic banana farmer’s fields randomly selected. The attractiveness potential of predator arthropods in the plots of three vegetable species and cowpea associated with organic plantains was evaluated using an experimental site. In total, 2112 arthropod specimens were collected in organic banana farms including 975 individuals of predatory arthropods. The abundance of several predators including seven-spot ladybird Coccinella septempunctata, staphylinids Staphylinus sp., ants Camponotus sp., spiders Araneus sp. and some herbivore species variegated locust Zonocerus variegatus and vegetable leafminer Liriomyza sativae was manly observed in the gardens. The abundance of the three pest herbivores Chaetanaphothrips, Southern Green Stink Bug Nezara viridula, and Diabrotica virgifera were lower in the presence of associated plant species. Mixed gardens (or intercrops) had a significant effect on the overall productivity and financial profitability of the banana and plantain cropping systems. Groundnut and banana and plantain associations had the highest average gross margin per hectare followed by association with maize. In the experimental site, the predator abundance was highest on Vernonia amygdalina followed by Vigna unguiculata and Ocimum gratissimum. These Findings show out interesting banana and crop association which could help to implement strategies for sustainable ecological pest management.

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Data availability

Data generated during this study are available from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by Ecological Organic Agriculture grant phase 2. We thank banana and plantain farmers of Southern Benin who unconditionally accepted to make available their fields for observations. Our sincere appreciation goes to Dr. Haroll Kokoye and Bonaventure Omondi Aman, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT for language editing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National School of Biosciences and Applied Biotechnologies (ENSBBA), National University of Sciences, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM), Dassa, Benin

    Anicet G. Dassou & Wilfrid Adjimoti

  2. Laboratory of Economic and Social Dynamics Analysis (LARDES), Faculty of Agronomy (FA), University of Parakou (UP), Parakou, Benin

    Fifanou Vodouhè & Silvère Tovignan

  3. Laboratory of Research On Innovation for Agricultural Development (LRIDA), Faculty of Agronomy (FA), University of Parakou (UP), Parakou, Benin

    Gervais-Claude Assogba & René Tokannou

  4. School of Economy, Socio-Anthropology and Communication (EESAC), FSA, UAC, Abomey-Calavi, Benin

    Gbèlidji T. Vodouhè

  5. Beninese Organization for the Promotion of Organic Agriculture (OBEPAB), Cotonou, Benin

    Gbèlidji T. Vodouhè & Simplice D. Vodouhè

  6. Laboratory of Applied Ecology (LEA), Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (FSA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Benin

    Valentin Kindomihou

  7. Laboratoire de Phytotechnie, d’Amélioration Et de Protection Des Plantes, Parakou, Benin

    Léonard Afouda

  8. Agricultural Entomology Laboratory (LEAg), Faculty of Agronomic Sciences (FSA), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonou, Benin

    Aimé H. Bokonon-Ganta

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  1. Anicet G. Dassou
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Contributions

AGD, FV, CGA, SDV, ABG, RT, VK, ST, and LA participated in the study design; they analyzed and interpreted the data and drafted the manuscript. WA, AGD, GV, and FV carried out the field surveys. AGD, FV, ST, CGA, GV, WA, RT, ABG, VK, SDV, and LA corrected the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Anicet G. Dassou.

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Dassou, A.G., Vodouhè, F., Tovignan, S. et al. Pest control, productivity, and profitability improvement of associated crops in organic banana cropping systems in Benin, West Africa. Org. Agr. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-024-00464-7

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