# Mathematical modeling for sustainable aphid control in agriculture via intercropping

## TL;DR

This paper develops a mathematical model to evaluate how intercropping and trap crops can sustainably control aphid-borne viruses in agriculture, offering insights into pest management strategies.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel epidemiological model combining aphid movement, plant distribution, and trap crops to optimize intercropping arrangements for pest control.

## Key findings

- Identifies an intercropping arrangement that significantly improves pest management.
- Demonstrates the effectiveness of trap crops in reducing virus spread.
- Provides a mathematical framework for sustainable pest control strategies.

## Abstract

Agricultural losses to pest represent an important challenge in a global warming scenario. Intercropping is an alternative farming practice that promotes pest control without the use of chemical pesticides. Here we develop a mathematical model to study epidemic spreading and control in intercropped agricultural fields as a sustainable pest management tool for agriculture. The model combines the movement of aphids transmitting a virus in an agricultural field, the spatial distribution of plants in the intercropped field, and the presence of `trap crops' in an epidemiological Susceptible-Infected-Removed (SIR) model. Using this model we study several intercropping arrangements without and with trap crops and find a new intercropping arrangement that improves significantly pest management in agricultural fields respect to the commonly used intercrop systems.