Pest Control Techniques Research Articles

Intensitas Serangan Dan Fluktuasi Populasi Wereng Batang Coklat Nilaparvata lugens Dengan Beberapa Teknik Pengendalian Pada Tanaman Padi

The brown planthopper is an important pest in rice cultivation which acts as a vector for viruses that cause grass stunt and hollow stunt disease which can cause rice plants to die or reduce production to the detriment of farmers. This study aimed to obtain a pest control technique capable of suppressing the population and intensity of brown planthopper attacks on rice plants. This study is an experimental study using single-factor Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 4 treatments and 6 replications: C (Control); CC (Combination Control); BC (Biointensive Control); SC (Synthetic Control). The analysis results obtained showed that the SC treatment gave the lowest attack intensity value of 0.00% - 28.67% with a total population of 0 - 89 individuals followed by CC (1.33% - 44.67%) with a total population of 2-114 individuals, BC (2.00%-46%) with a total population of 3 - 103 individuals, and C (2.00% -45.33%) with a total population of 3 - 102 individuals. Synthetic control can be recommended as an alternative pest control technique in reducing the intensity of brown planthopper attacks.

Uji Efektivitas Berbagai Surfaktan pada Insektisida Tenchu dalam Menanggulangi Hama Thrips sp. pada Tanaman Induk Acacia crassicarpa di Rumah Tanaman Induk Kerinci Central Nursery 1 East

The Nursery Department is the department responsible for ensuring the success of Acacia crassicarpa plants at an early stage by caring for and maintaining the quality and quantity of the seeds before planting them in the planting area. One of the disturbances that threatens the quality and quantity of seed production is the presence of Thrips sp. pest attacks. One of the Thrips sp. pest control techniques. with the application of insecticides with appropriate surfactants. Therefore, it is necessary to test various surfactants on Tenchu ​​20 SG insecticides which are appropriate in tackling Thrips sp. pest attacks. This study aims to determine the most appropriate surfactant in the Tenchu ​​20 SG insecticide in tackling Thrips sp. which attacks the mother plant Acacia crassicarpa. This research was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) with Least Significant Difference (LSD) follow-up test. The number of treatments in this study consisted of 5 treatments where each complete treatment with 3 repetitions used 72 sample plants so that the total sample plants used were 360 ​​plants. The parameters observed were the incidence and severity of Thrips sp.. The results showed that there was a decrease in the incidence and severity of Thrips sp. the largest is the type of Ronstick surfactant. The incidence rate and severity of Thrips sp. before application, namely 100% while after application, the incidence rate of Thrips sp. that is equal to 66.67% and the severity of Thrips sp. that is equal to 38.43%.

Determining the technical and economic feasibility of combining pest control techniques in open field and netting house chili cultivation systems

Determining the technical and economic feasibility of combining pest control techniques in open field and netting house chili cultivation systems

Understanding Farmers’ Intentions to Adopt Pest and Disease Green Control Techniques: Comparison and Integration Based on Multiple Models

Green control techniques (GCT) are an important supporting technology to ensure sustainable agricultural development. To advance the adoption of GCT, it is crucial to understand the intention of farmers to adopt GCT and its related determinants. However, current research is mostly limited to using a single theoretical model to explore farmers’ intentions to adopt GCT, which is not conducive to revealing the determinants of farmers’ intentions to adopt GCT. To address this gap, this study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), and the Motivational Model (MM) based on research data from 362 rice farmers in Heshan District, Yiyang City, Hunan Province, and uses partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to empirically test and compare the above models. The model comparison results prove that the TPB (R2 = 0.818, Q2 = 0.705), TAM (R2 = 0.649, Q2 = 0.559), IDT (R2 = 0.782, Q2 = 0.674), and MM (R2 = 0.678, Q2 = 0.584) models all have explanatory power and predictive validity in the context of green control techniques. However, the integrated model (R2 = 0.843, Q2 = 0.725) is found to be superior to these individual theoretical models because it has larger values of R2, Q2, and smaller values of Asymptotically Efficient, Asymptotically Consistent, and provides a multifaceted understanding for identifying the factors influencing adoption intentions. The results of the path analysis show that attitude, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, subjective norm, and visibility significantly and positively influence adoption intentions in both the single and integrated models and are determinants of farmers’ intentions to adopt GCT.

Application of innovative biological agents for sustainable corn farming

Corn, being the most important crop globally, requires effective protection against pests while maintaining environmental sustainability. This study focuses on the development of environmentally friendly methods for biological control of major corn pests. The research investigates the combined use of pheromones, entomopathogenic preparations, and parasitic Hymenoptera, such as Trichogramma evanescens West and Habrobracon hebetor Say, to combat pests. The seasonal dynamics and abundance of cotton moth (Helicoverpa armigera) and click beetle (Athous tauricus) were monitored using pheromone traps. The number of corn moth (Ostrinia nubilalis) caterpillars was recorded, and mass breeding of the ectoparasite Habrobracon hebetor was conducted for biological control. The effectiveness of the integrated approach, combining entomophages and biological preparations, was evaluated. The study demonstrates satisfactory effectiveness in biological protection, with significant reductions in corn moth and cotton moth populations. These findings highlight the potential of environmentally friendly techniques for pest control in corn crops, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.

Effects of radiation on the fitness, sterility and arbovirus susceptibility of a Wolbachia-free Aedes albopictus strain for use in the Sterile Insect Technique.

The sterile insect technique (SIT) is a green and species-specific insect pest control technique that suppresses target populations by releasing factory-reared, radio-sterilized males into the wild. Once released, it is important to be able to distinguish the released males from the wild males for monitoring purposes. Several methods to mark the sterile males exist. However, most have limitations due to monetary, process efficiency, or insect quality. Aedes albopictus is naturally infected with Wolbachia at a high prevalence. Therefore, the elimination of Wolbachia can serve as a biomarker to distinguish the factory-reared male mosquitoes from wild conspecifics. In this study, a Wolbachia-free Ae. albopictus GT strain was developed and its fitness evaluated, which was found to be comparable to the wild GUA strain. In addition, GT male mosquitoes were irradiated at the adult stage and a dose of 20 Gy or more induced over 99% sterility. Moreover, a dose of 30 Gy (almost completely sterilizing male and female mosquitoes) had limited effects on the mating competitiveness of GT males and vector competence of GT females, respectively. However, radiation reduced mosquito longevity, regardless of its sex. Our results indicated that the Ae. albopictus GT strain can be distinguished from the wild mosquitoes based on Wolbachia status and shows similar fitness, radio-sensitivity and arbovirus susceptibility to the GUA strain, indicating that it is feasible to use the GT strain to suppress Ae. albopictus populations for SIT programmes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Impact of Front-Line Demonstration on Pulses Productivity and Profitability in Farmers Fields

Front-Line Demonstration (FLD) is a long-term educational activity carried out systematically by agricultural experts in the field of farmers to demonstrate the value of new practices/technologies in the micro-agriculture situation. The aim of the FLD was to demonstrate improved pulses technologies for production potential. Improved technologies include the use of improved varieties, seed treatment with Rhizobium and PSB culture, sowing methods, balanced fertilizer application and improved pest control techniques. The results of pulses harvested crop in 2021-2022 showed that improved varieties with improved practice packages recorded a higher yield compared to farmers’ practices. The improved technologies saw yield increases of 26.33 %, 24.63 %, 23.41 % and 22.83 % yield increase over farmer practices in green gram, chick pea, pigeon pea and black gram respectively. The average percentage yield increased by 24.30 % over farmers’ practices. The mean technological yield gap was highest for chickpea (3.47 q/ha), followed by pigeon pea (1.36 q/ha), green gram (1.34 q/ha) and black gram (1.26 q/ha). The maximum mean extension yield gap in the study was recorded in pigeon pea at 11.83 q/ha followed by black gram (5.22 q/ha) and green gram (3.57 q/ha), while the lowest extension yield gap was observed in chickpea (2.44 q/ha). The technology index varied between 7.16 and 17.35% while the lowest (7.16) was recorded for pigeon pea. The highest gross return (Rs. 81,654/ha), net return (Rs. 56,370/ha) and benefit-to-cost ratio (3.23) was recorded with chickpea demonstration followed by Black gram and green gram while lowest gross return (Rs. 44,848/ha), net return (Rs.24,634 /ha) and benefit cost ratio (2.22), which was markedly higher than gross return (Rs. 36,342/ha), net return (Rs.16,430/ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.83) in farmers practice. The improved technologies yielded a higher gross return and, net return with a higher benefit-to-cost ratio than farmers’ practices.

Cooperative membership and new technology adoption of family farms: Evidence from China

AbstractVarious policies have been implemented to encourage the development of family farms and cooperatives in the past decade in China. New technology adoption is a crucial part in promoting the performance of family farms. However, empirical evidence on whether and how cooperatives would facilitate family farms to adopt new technologies remains unclear. To address the gap, this paper examines the impact of family farms’ cooperative membership on new technology adoption (i.e., new varieties, new machinery, new fertilizers, new pesticides, new pest control techniques, new production methods and new management methods). Using novel survey data from 848 family farms in China, and employing both propensity score matching approach and endogenous switching probit model, we find that for family farms, cooperative membership has positive and significant impacts on new technology adoption. When looking into different types of technology, we find that the impacts are larger on the adoption of new methods than new techniques. Moreover, the impacts are larger for family farms with lower operation income and smaller size. The findings provide important insights for policymakers tasked with promoting agricultural technology adoption.

INSECT PESTS OF RICE IN PAKISTAN: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF BIOLOGY, DAMAGE, AND MANAGEMENT

Rice is one of the most significant food crops in the world. It is predominantly a subsistence crop because half of it is consumed where it is grown. The main insect pests of rice in Pakistan include Stem borers, Plant-hoppers, Leafhoppers, rice grass-hopper, leaf-folder, African pink borers, and many others. There have been noticeable changes in Pakistan’s insect pest complex with the introduction of high-yielding cultivars. Many species that work earlier thought to be minor pests are now regarded as serious pests in Pakistan. In traditional Basmati growing regions, stem borers remain a serious issue. From ancient times, the Pakistani farming community used different management strategies to deal with the insect pests of rice. The management strategies involved are cultural, biological, physical, and chemical. Cultural practices have changed, such as the use of greater fertilizers rates in high-yielding varieties, and the leaf folder complex. Rice growers throughout Pakistan are strongly reliant upon traditional cultural practices. But this tendency has slowly changed towards chemical methods. Chemical pesticides are now used more frequently as a primary method of control in Pakistan. Biological control or the use of living organisms as pest control agents is a common natural process in which insects population in crops are continuously decreased by predators, parasites, and pathogens of the pests. Pakistan now has a problem with insect pests, thus utilizing an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy that is effective, affordable, and safe for the environment. Other techniques for pest control include the use of pheromones as attractants, insect growth regulators, insect growth inhibitors, repellents, and sterile insect release systems.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture with Special Reference to Agriculture Information Research

The study of intelligent machines that can perform like human beings is emphasised in the field of computer application known as artificial intelligence (AI).Artificial intelligence research is extremely specialised and technical. The role of Artificial Intelligence is inevitable in all the spheres of Business and technology and it would have a greater impact in the field of Education in the days to come. The Authors throws a light on the significance and impact of Artificial intelligence on Agriculture Information research. Artificial intelligence is now being used extensively in the agricultural industry. The Agriculture sector faces various threats and challenges and to mention a few, Information on pest control techniques , Yield Maximization, inappropriate Soil treatment , Pest control system , Disease control information, Information on farm technology and innovation etc,. In this paper, applications of AI in the agricultural sector are reviewed, with an emphasis on agriculture information.

Larvicide effects of Bacillus sp isolated from soil against fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Prolonged use of pesticides was known to have a negative impact on the environment, health, and living organisms. Therefore alternative pest control techniques need to be developed continuously. One pest eradication techniques that is believed to be safe for the environment is biological control. This study intended to evaluate the toxicity properties of 7 different isolates suspension of Bacillus sp. isolated from soil in a botanical garden in West Lampung against Spodoptera frugiperda larvae. Morphological characterization of protein crystals which are toxic to insects contained in the suspension was carried out microscopically at a magnification of 1000x. Then, each isolate suspension was tested for its toxicity properties on the 3rd instar larvae of S. frugiverda. The protein crystal morphology of the Bacillus sp isolate coded TB7 was similar to that of L. sphaericus. While the other six isolates (TMA 26, TBA 4, TBA 7, TB 5, BP 14, and TSR 6) had morphological characteristics similar to that found in the B. thuringiensis. The results of larvicide test showed that Bacillus sp isolates coded TMA 26, TBA 7, BP 14 and TB 5 caused mortality on day 3. TBA 4 isolates killed larvae on day 4, while isolates coded TSR 6 and TB 7 killed larvae on day 5. In conclusion, Bacillus sp isolate isolated from soil has toxic properties to the larvae of S frugiperda. So it is suggested that the bacterial isolate Bacillus sp can be used as a biological control agent for insect pests.

Impacts of climate change on pine wilt disease outbreaks and associated carbon stock losses

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a significant threat to forests worldwide. Large-scale PWD outbreaks in China underline the need to understand the current and future distributions of PWD. We constructed a principal components analysis (PCA)-based environmental filter method in a three dimensional (3D) space to correct the sample bias caused by the strong autocorrelation of PWD outbreaks. The MaxEnt model was used to estimate the relationships between PWD occurrence and environmental characteristics and to predict potential PWD risk areas under four shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585) over the period 2020–2100. The model showed improved performance by correcting the sampling bias, with high accuracy (area under the curve values of 0.87 and 0.92 for model training and testing, respectively). Isothermality and annual precipitation contributed most strongly to the distribution of PWD. The potential PWD distribution will increase in the near future (2021–2040) and will expand northward in 2061–2100 under the SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios. This study also provides detailed maps of current and future carbon stock losses caused by PWD, which show the current maximum losses (∼24.9% of total forest carbon stocks) and an increase of ∼39,000 km2 in carbon stock losses in the northeast China for the period 2061–2100 under the SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios. Overall, our results show dramatic spatiotemporal shifts in the PWD distribution and forest carbon stock losses under climate change scenarios, and will provide a useful reference for implementing pest control techniques and forest management strategies.

Conservation Tillage: A Sustainable Approach for Carbon Sequestration and Soil Preservation. A Review

Minimum tillage is a soil conservation tillage aimed at minimizing soil disturbance required for productive crop production. Unlike intense tillage, which uses ploughs to alter the soil's structure, this tillage technique does not turn the soil over. Only secondary tillage is used sparingly in minimum tillage, with primary tillage being totally avoided. Practices like minimum furrowing, using organic fertilizer, using biological pest control techniques, and using less pesticides are all included in minimum tillage. Soil erosion and soil degradation have been increased by the use of conventional agricultural techniques, such as extensive tillage centered on the removal of crop residue. Global interest in finding various sustainable ways to lower the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has grown in recent years as a result of the gradual increase in their concentration. The amount of carbon stored in soil is 2-4 times greater than that in the atmosphere and four times greater than that in vegetation. In order to prevent or, carbon sequestration (CS) delay dangerous climate change entails storing other forms of carbon or transferring CO2 from the atmosphere into the soil. The potential of soils to store carbon and reduce the accelerated greenhouse effects by implementing various agricultural management strategies is covered in the current review. Conservation tillage techniques improve carbon sequestration in agricultural soils. Conservation tillage can be a practical way to store carbon in the soil and minimize the effects of climate change. Conservation tillage reduced the green house gas. Zero tillage has been identified as the most environmentally friendly tillage practice for the mitigation and adaptation to climate change processes. No-till farming is thought to make it possible to increase crop production sustainably in order to fulfill future agricultural demands

Mating still disrupted: Future elevated CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations are likely to not interfere with <i>Lobesia botrana</i> and <i>Eupoecilia ambiguella</i> mating disruption in vineyards in the near future

The successful, area-wide application of the mating disruption (MD) technique, an insect sex pheromone-based biotechnological pest control method, against the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana and the European grape berry moth Eupoecilia ambiguella, has led to drastic reductions in insecticide application in vineyards. However, since insect pheromone perception and emission can be affected by abiotic conditions, the future success of MD may be affected by climate change. At the same time, politics and society are calling for drastic and sustainable reductions in pesticide application, making highly specific, efficient, and environmentally friendly pest control techniques like MD more important than ever. To anticipate whether climate change factors will interfere with the MD of L. botrana and E. ambiguella in vineyards, we conducted field experiments in the Geisenheim VineyardFACE (Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment) facility. The insects were raised at ambient or elevated temperatures in the lab and male moths were released in cages installed in the VineyardFACE facility. Trap recapture rates obtained by pheromone lures or female moths under elevated or ambient CO2 in areas with and without MD were evaluated. Our results did not indicate a reduced efficacy ofL. botrana or E. ambiguella MD at elevated CO2 concentrations, irrespective of the temperature the moths were raised under. From a practical point of view—and especially from an ecological one—our results are good news. They indicate that MD will not be negatively affected by future elevated CO2 concentrations.

Population Structure of Thrips parvispinus Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Population Abundance of Predatory Insect on Red Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Treated with Imidacloprid Insecticide

In Indonesia, the pest Thrips parvispinus Karny is a major problem for red chili plants. Most pest control techniques rely on synthetic pesticides, resulting in environmental degradation, the extinction of natural enemies, and the emergence and resilience of a variety of different pests. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of a 25% Imidacloprid insecticide on population density and the proportion of infestations and natural enemies in the field. A randomized block design with 5 treatments and 5 replications was utilized in this field investigation. Plant samples were collected in a “U-shaped” pattern. According to the findings, a 25% Imidacloprid pesticide had a significant influence on population density and T. parvispinus attack on red chili plants. Moderate damage was caused by T. parvispinus’ infestation on red chili plants using 50-200 L.ha-1 25 % Imidacloprid pesticide. Furthermore, a 25 % Imidacloprid insecticide applied at a rate of 100 L.ha-1 had a significant influence on the population variety and abundance of T. parvispinus natural enemies. A 25 % Imidacloprid insecticide dosage increase was shown to have a very strong relationship with a reduction in population density, the proportion of T. parvispinus assault, and the variety and quantity of natural enemies in red chili. Thus, a 25 % Imidacloprid insecticide at a rate of 100 L.ha-1 proved successful in reducing T. parvispinus while remaining safe for natural enemies. Future pest control techniques must still be based on improved field data collection, such as data on pesticide contamination or other anthropogenic chemicals, which may also be used to estimate natural enemy population levels in the field.

Edukasi Budidaya Edamame Organik di Kelurahan Cempaka, Kota Banjarbaru dalam Mendukung Sistem Pertanian Berkelanjutan

Edamame, as an essential food ingredient, has the potential to be developed with a high level of market demand every year. The ability of edamame cultivated on all types of soil has the opportunity to be introduced to the residents of Cempaka Village, Banjarbaru. The introduction of integrated pest control-based cultivation and land management using compost media from agricultural waste by considering environmental sustainability needs to be conveyed and later applied to build environmentally friendly sustainable agrarian concepts. The purpose of this Community Service Activity is to educate and train the skills of the people of Cempaka Village, Banjarbaru City, regarding organic edamame cultivation to improve the quality of edamame cultivation and production sustainably. The method used in this activity is a classical approach in the form of lectures and distributing knowledge questionnaires before and after the extension material. The results of the pre-activity questionnaire showed that 65% of participants only knew about edamame, compost, and organic fertilizers but not about integrated pest control techniques. After the activity, participants' knowledge increased by approximately 100%, hoping that the Cempaka Village community could apply it in the field.

Implementation of integrated pest control to reduce rhino beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) attacks in oil palm plantations

Oryctes rhinoceros or Rhino beetle ( Coleoptera; Scarabidae) is a major pest in oil palm plantations. This pest is very harmful, especially in replanting areas, and young plants cause up to 25 per cent of palm oil-related deaths. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated pest management in suppressing the population and development of O. rhinoceros. The research was conducted at the Oil Palm Plantation, PT. Sumber Indah Perkasa, Penawartama, Tulangbawang Regency, Lampung Provincial for one year. The analysis used is a descriptive analysis involving the collection of data from a variety of control techniques. The results showed that the pest control techniques of O. rhinoceros lightrap, ferotrap, holetrap, nets, larval quotes and chemistry could suppress or decrease pest populations. The control with light traps is very efficient because it obtained the number of captures of imago beetles up to 246,224 in 1 year. The integrated pest control of O. rhinoceros successfully reduced the attack of beetles until it did not reach the economic threshold. It is hoped that implementing integrated O. rhinoceros pest control can be a reference for plantations

Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Neem Oil to the Endoparasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae).

Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle 1993 (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and neem oil are two control alternatives for the integrated management of defoliating lepidopterans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicity of neem oil compared to the synthetic insecticide deltamethrin, on the endoparasitoid P. elaeisis, in generations F0, F1, F2, and F3. Females of P. elaeisis were exposed to neem solutions at concentrations of 0, 1.87, 3.75, 7.50, 15.00, 30.00, and 60.00 mg ml-1, to determine the dose-response relationship and estimate the neem LC50. The sublethal effects on the parasitoid P. elaeisis in generations F0 to F3 were evaluated with these same concentrations of neem and 0.033 mg ml-1 of deltamethrin. The neem LC50 was estimated at 3.92 mg ml-1. The LC50 for P. elaeisis is 3.83 times lower than that recommended by the neem manufacturer for pest control, demonstrating high acute toxicity to this natural enemy. The chronic toxicity of both the commercial dose and those below it to P. elaeisis caused low sublethal effects. The correct concentration of neem oil in pest control is important, and its use should be performed with caution in integrated pest management programs using the endoparasitoid P. elaeisis to avoid causing interference between the two pest control techniques.

The attack of Etiela zinckenella Treitschke on soybean varieties

The attack of Etiella zinckenella Treitschke on soybean varieties. Soybean is an important food and source of vegetable protein. One of the problems in soybean cultivation in Indonesia is the presence of pests. Integrated pest control (IPM) techniques are increasing along with the awareness of the importance of environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture. One component of IPM is the use of pest-resistant varieties. This study aimed to examine the effect of the soybean varieties against E. zinckenella Treitschke. This research was conducted with a factorial Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD). The first factor was the type of organic fertilizer with a dose of 10 tons/ha: (P0= control, P1= Bokashi, P2= Vermikompos, P3=cow manure). The second factor is soybean varieties, which were: V1= Dena 2, V2= Dering 1, V3= Deja 2, V4= Deja 1, V5= Devon 1, V6= Devon 2, V7= Derap 1, V8= Derap 2, V9= Devatra 1, V10 = Devatra 2, V11= Detam 1, V12= Detam 2. The results showed that the interaction between varieties and organic fertilizer significantly affected the percentage of pod borer attack. The interaction between P1 x V8 varieties and between P2 x V6 varieties resulted in the highest percentage of pod borer attack and it was significantly different from other interactions, but not significantly different from P3 x V9, P3 x V5, P2 x V11, P1 x V6, P0 x V11, and P0 x V6.

Plant Diversity Increased Arthropod Diversity and Crop Yield in Traditional Agroforestry Systems but Has No Effect on Herbivory

Improving agricultural production in response to the increasing food demand remains a major challenge in agroecology. The world has made significant efforts to meet this issue by developing several cultivation techniques, such as the use of chemical fertilizers and arable land conversion into agricultural land. However, most of these techniques have caused a significant loss of biodiversity and ecosystems services. Recent data suggest that biological conservation within and around agroforestry systems are potential solutions that can both reduce biodiversity loss and guarantee crop production. This logic is based on the hypothesis that increasing plant diversity in and around agricultural systems can limit the pest attack rate and increase crop yield. We tested this hypothesis using structural equation modeling on empirical data collected in agroforestry systems around the Pendjari biosphere reserve in West Africa. We measured crop diversity, crop yield, arthropod pest diversity, abundance, the rate of crop herbivory, and the diversity of plants in surrounding natural vegetation in 32 permanent plots. We estimated arthropod diversity and abundance using pitfall traps. We found a direct positive effect for plant diversity and a direct negative effect of arthropod herbivory on crop yield. The diversity of plants in surrounding natural vegetation had a direct positive effect on arthropod pest diversity but a marginal negative direct effect on the rate of crop herbivory. We found no significant direct or indirect effect for crop diversity. Our findings underline the important role of biodiversity conservation in agricultural production improvement. We suggest that the conservation of plant diversity around agroforestry systems may be an effective option to control herbivory damage. Its combination with other pest control techniques may further limit crop depredation and ensure the long-term conservation of wildlife.