**3.3 Behavioral control**

*Pests, Weeds and Diseases in Agricultural Crop and Animal Husbandry Production*

field is also to be adopted.

disease problems.

pests.

1.Preparation of nurseries/main fields free from pest infestation by following practices such as removing plant debris, trimming of bunds, treating of soil and deep summer plowing, which kills various stages of pests. Plowing is considered an important control option to destroy the crop residue and expose the soil-inhabiting stages of several vegetable pests [28]. Proper drainage system in

2.Testing of soil for nutrient deficiencies for application of appropriate fertilizers. Use of farm yard manure (FYM) and biofertilizers should be encouraged. High or low nitrogen [29, 30] content in the plant can also contribute to some

3.Selection of clean, certified, pest-resistant/tolerant seeds and treating seeds with fungicide/biopesticides before sowing for seedborne disease control.

4.Proper adjustment of time of sowing and harvesting to escape peak season of

5.Accurate plant spacing, which makes plants healthier and less susceptible to

6.Proper water management as the high moisture in soil for prolonged period is

7.Proper weed management as most of weeds besides competing with crop for

8.Community approach is required for synchronized sowing the crops simultaneously in vast area so that pest may not get different staged crops suitable for its population buildup. If pest appears in damaging proportion, control opera-

9.Crop rotation with nonhost or tolerant crops will break the pest cycles and reduce their buildup year after year. Crop rotation tactic has been used for insect, disease, and weed management in many cropping systems [31–34].

10. Growing trap crops [35] on the borders or peripheries of fields as by grow-

11. For excellent fruit set in orchards, pollinizer cultivars should be planted in

12. Harvesting should be done close to ground level as certain developmental

stages of insect pests/diseases remain on the plant parts, which act as primary

ing such crops on the border of the fields develops pest population that can be source of natural enemies providing top-down control [36]. Intercropping/ multiple cropping wherever possible as certain crops act as repellents, thus keeping the pest species away from preferred crops results in reduction of pest incidence [37, 38]. For instance, significant disease reduction was seen by interspacing a rice cultivar susceptible to *Magnaporthe oryzae* (causing rice

conducive for development of pests, especially soilborne diseases.

pest attack and rotation of host crops with non-host crops.

micronutrients also harbor many pests.

blast) with a resistant one [39, 40].

inoculum for the next crop season.

required proportion.

tion could also be applied effectively in whole area.

**8**

The behavior of a pest can be exploited and controlled through baits, traps, and mating disruption techniques [41–43]. Use of baits containing poisonous material will attract and kill the pests when distributed in the field or placed in traps. Pests are attracted to certain colors, lights, odors of attractants or pheromones. These devices one or more can be used to attract, trap, or kill pests. For instance, pheromone traps involves dispensing large amounts of sex pheromones in plantation area, thereby suppressing the male's abilities to find female conspecifics for mating [44]. Thus, pheromone lures confuse adult insects and disrupt their mating potential, monitoring pest levels, mass trapping, and thus reduce their offspring.
