The need to manage diseases in crops has great importance considering losses of agricultural production resulting in shortage of food. Chemical pesticides are very expensive and their injudicious use is responsible for environmental degradation, development of resistance in pests, and above all contamination of food and ecosystem. The current scenario in sustainable agriculture is witnessing new paradigms. Revival of interest in Indigenous Knowledge (TK) is prominent among them. In tandem with strides in modern biotechnology the concern for environment-friendly agriculture has led to restoration of traditional agricultural practices. With increasing environmental awareness, the focus has now shifted towards search for viable alternatives of managingdiseases. Research is also finding local resources and TK that can empower farmers to be able to control pest problems with greatly reduced or no pesticide applications, saving large amounts of money and protecting their health. Traditional farming practices are one of the sources of 'non-chemical' disease management strategies. Most of the practices of traditional farmers for disease management in developing countries consist of cultural control, yet little information is available and utilized. Looking to the present scenario an attempt was made to collect first-hand information about the wisdom and innovations of farmers belonging to semi-arid and arid Rajasthan for managing pest and diseases of legume crops. Some of these practices of practical importance are discussed in this paper.
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