Courses : Forest Ecology Lecturer :Frischa Adellia Semester : 4thSemester, 2022/2023 Session Trap Plants Trap plants are a type of plant that is planted with the aim of attracting certain pest insects to come and get trapped in them, thereby reducing the number of insects that can damage the main plant. These trap plants often have a certain attraction to insect pests, either through their scent, color, or certain physical structures that make them attractive to the insects. The concept of trap crops is based on the principle that insect pests have certain preferences for certain types of plants, and by planting these trap crops around agricultural areas, insect pests will be attracted to and gather around the trap crop, rather than around the main crop you want to protect. Trap plants can function as follows: 1. Reducing pest populations: By attracting pest insects into trap plants, the population of pest insects around the main plant can be reduced, so the risk of damage to the main plant is also reduced. 2. Monitoring pest populations: Trap crops can also be used to monitor the presence and development of pest populations in an agricultural area. By seeing how many insects are attracted to trap crops, farmers can tell whether pest populations are increasing or decreasing. 3. Reducing pesticide use: By reducing pest populations naturally using trap crops, farmers can reduce dependence on chemical pesticides that have the potential to harm the environment and human health. Examples of trap plants include flowering plants that attract visiting insects, such as marigolds or zinnias, or plants with color patterns that are attractive to certain insects. Trap plants can also be certain plants that produce aromatic compounds that are attractive to insect pests. Following are some examples of the application of trap crops in agriculture: 1. Marigold flowers (Tagetes spp.): Marigolds are often used as trap plants because they have a strong odor and striking colors, attracting insects such as aphids (aphids) and thrips (tiny insects) which are pests of other plants. Marigold plants can be planted around gardens or agricultural land to attract insect pests away from the main crop. 2. Ketapang leaves (Terminalia catappa): Ketapang leaves have repellent properties against insects such as ants, caterpillars and mosquitoes. This plant is often planted around fields or plantations to reduce insect attacks on the main crop. 3. Root Crops: Some root crops, such as potatoes, are sometimes planted as trap crops to attract the Colorado beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) which is a major pest of potato plants. When these beetles are attracted to trap crops, they can be removed manually or by using biological control methods. 4. Cabbage Trap: In organic farming systems, cabbage traps are often used as a pest control technique. Cabbage is planted as a trap crop to attract insect pests such as the cabbage weevil (Plutella xylostella), thereby reducing pest attacks on other cabbage plants. 5. Pheromone Attractant Plants: Some plants can also be modified to produce pheromones that are attractive to certain insects, such as the corn stalk borer (Ostrinia nubilalis). This plant can be planted as a trap to attract female insects, thereby limiting the reproduction of these insects. The application of trap crops helps in reducing the population of insect pests naturally, thereby reducing damage to the main crop and dependence on chemical pesticides. Apart from that, it can also increase biodiversity in agricultural areas and maintain ecosystem balance.