FARMSCAPING
for ORGANIC CROP PRODUCTION
Rufina Ward
Alabama A&M University
Farmscape
It is a whole-farm, ecological approach to
pest management through increase in
biodiversity with the establishment of
hedgerows, insectary plants, cover crops
and water reservoir to attract and increase
beneficial organisms such as parasitic and
predatory insects, spiders, bats and birds .
FARMSCAPE – A Schematic Overview
FARMSCAPE
PRACTICES
RESOURCE
PATCHES
Refugia, Food and
BENEFICI
AL
ORGANIS
MS
R. Ward
Water Source
CROP PESTS
FARM PRODUCTIVITY and
SUSTAINABILITY
General Farmscaping Strategies to
Enhance Biological Control
1) Removal and/or
reduction of pest
habitat
2) Augmentation of
beneficial habitat
3) Trap crops
Farmscape Plans are:

1) Easy to implement

2) Effective

3) Easy to modify and adopt
Benefits from Farmscape Practices

1) Reduce pesticide use

2) Save money

3) Reduce chemical residues in
farm products

4) Render farm environment safe
and healthy for humans and wildlife

5) Add value to the overall health and
beauty of the farm
Key Considerations in Farmscape
Planning
1) Ecology of pest and
beneficial species
2) Synchrony
3) Choosing strategies
4) Establishment of
insectary plants
Key Considerations in Farmscape
Planning
5) Weather – temperature,
rainfall
6) Annual vs. perennial plants
7) Soil health
FARMSCAPING PRACTICES
1) Companion Plant - Mixing
different species of plants within
rows or beds
2) Strip Planting / Strip Cropping
– Growing two or more crops in
different strips across the field
wide enough for independent
cultivation
3) Interplanting – planting a mix
or combination of plant species
at interval in an area
Companion Planting
Example of companion planting (from left to
right; lettuce, cabbage and sunflower).
(G.Zehnder)
Trap Cropping
Alfalfa planted as a trap crop in strawberries to control
tarnished plant bug. Photo credit: Sean Swezey (University of
California) and the Organic Farming Research Foundation.
FARMSCAPING PRACTICES
(Cont’d.)
4) Intercropping – a variation of interplanting
where at least two different crops are planted
either in the same row or in alternate of paired
rows in the same area.
5) Poly-cropping (Mixed cropping) - planting
two or more species combined at random
6) Multiple Cropping - production of at least
two crops on the same land within a year
FARMSCAPING PRACTICES
(Cont’d.)
7) Trap Cropping – crop planted to lure
insect pests away from cash crops
8) Cover Crop – cultivation of a second
type of crop mainly to improve the
production system for a primary crop
9) Green Manure – a growing crop
incorporated into the soil to improve soil
quality and fertility
FARMSCAPING PRACTICES
(Cont’d.)
10) Hedgerow,
Windbreak,Shelterbelt - linear
plant barriers (e.g., trees, shrubs,
non-woody plants and grasses)
planted along field edges or other
areas not used for crop production.
11) Permanent Border – strip of
permanent vegetation bordering the
field
Factors to Consider in
Establishing Insectary Plants
1) Availability of seed
and plant sources
2) Time and cost of land
preparation, planting and
maintenance of annual
and perennial plantings
3) Equipment and supply
needs
Characteristics of Ideal
Insectary Plants (cont’d.)
4) Provide high quality and
quantity of food supply
5) Food location must be
detectable and predictable to
beneficial insects
6) A combination or mix of
insectary plants provide food
source to different beneficial
organisms over time
Examples of Good Insectary Plants
Buckwheat
Red clover (Trifolium
(Fagopyrum esculentum) Polygonaceae
pratense) Fabaceae Sweet clover (Melilotus
officinalis) Fabaceae
White clover
(Trifolium repens)
Fabaceae
Hairy vetch
(Vicia villosa)
Fabaceae
Mustard plants
(Brassica spp.)
Brassicaceae
Skullcap
(Scutellaria sp.)
Lamiaceae
Sunflower
(Helianthus spp.)
Asteraceae
Queen Anne’s lace
Daucus carrota Apiaceae
Mexican sunflower
(Tithonia grandiflora)
Asteraceae
ESSENTIAL STEPS TO
FARMSCAPING
1) Keep good farm records
2) Obtain information on pests and
beneficials
3) Make a list of tools that will create
favorable environment to beneficials but
hostile to pest species.
4) From above list, select tools that best fit
into farm’s cropping system, rotation,
equipment, available labor, etc.
STEPS TO FARMSCAPING
(Cont’d.)
5) Fine tune the system by experimenting
and re-experimenting. Try something
new or modify what has already been
tried to improve farming system.
6) Start simple and small, then develop the
farmscaping as experience and
observations dictate.
REFERENCES
Altieri, M.A., and M. Leibman. 1994. Insect, weed, and plant disease
management in multiple cropping systems. In Francis, C.A. (ed.).
Multiple Cropping Systems. Macmillan Company, New York. 383 p.
Amador, M.F. 1980. Behavior of three species (corn, beans, squash)
in polyculture in Chontalpa, Tabasco, Mexico. CSAT, Cardenas,
Tabasco, Mexico.
Anon. 1990. Strip intercropping offers low-input way to boost
yields. Sensible Agriculture. May. p. 7–8.
Anon. 1987. Intercropping bolsters silage yields. Hay and Forage
Grower. August. p. 29.
Bowen, John F., and Bernard A. Kratky. 1986. Successful
multiple cropping requires superior management skills.
Agribusiness Worldwide. November/December. p. 22–30.
Bugg, R.L. and C. Waddington. 1994. Managing cover crops to
manage arthropod pests of orchards. Agricultural Ecosystems &
Environment. Vol. 50. p. 11–28.
REFERENCES
Ehler, L. E. 2002. Farmscape ecology of stink bugs in nothern
California. Fremontia 30(3-4): 59-61.
Francis, R., and D.R. Decoteau. 1993. Developing an effective
southernpea and sweet corn intercrop system. Hort Technology.
Vol. 3, No. 2. p. 178–184.
Grossman, Joel, and William Quarles. 1993. Strip intercropping for
biological control. IPM Practitioner. April. p. 1–11.
Long, R.F., A. Corbett, C. Lamb, C. Reberg-Horton, J. Chandler, M.
Stimmann. 1998. Beneficial insects move from flowering plants to
nearby crops. California Agriculture, September-October. p. 23–26.
Martin, Ralph, Don Smith, and Harvey Voldeng. 1987. Intercropping
corn and soybeans. Sustainable Farming. REAP Canada. McGill
University, Macdonald Campus. www.eap.mcgill.ca
Pickett, C.H. and R.L. Bugg (eds). 1998. Enhancing Biological
Control: Habitat Management to Promote Natural Enemies of
Agricultural Pests. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.
REFERENCES
•
Richardson, P. 1997. Polyculture makes the most of
biodiversity. HRM of Texas Newsletter. Summer. p. 5, 7.
Stapel, J.O. and A.M. Cortesero. 1997. Importance of nectar
sources for adult parasitoids in biological control programs.
Midwest Biological Control News. May. p. 1, 7.
Sullivan, P. 2003. Intercropping principles and production
practices. ATTRA publication #IP135.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/intercrop.html
Tonneson, Lon, and Jim Houtsma. 1991. Adding new
wrinkles to alternate strips. The Farmer. September 7. p. 8–9.
Willy, R.W., et al. 1983. Intercropping studies with annual
crops. In: Better Crops for Food, CIBA Foundation
Symposium 97. Pitman, London, UK.
http://www.eap.mcgill.ca/CSI_2.htm
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/glossary.html
REFERENCES
Anon. 1990. Strip intercropping offers low-input way to
boost yields. Sensible Agriculture. May. p. 7–8.
Altieri, M.A., and M. Leibman. 1994. Insect, weed, and plant
disease management in multiple cropping systems. In
Francis, C.A. (ed.). Multiple Cropping Systems. Macmillan
Company, New York. 383 p.
Ecological Agriculture Projects. Mixing Crop Species. McGill
University, Macdonald Campus.
www.eap.mcgill.ca/CSI_2.htm
Richardson, Pat. 1997. Polyculture makes the most of
biodiversity. HRM of Texas Newsletter. Summer. p. 5, 7.
Acknowledgements
This presentation address general organic production practices. It is to be
to use in planning and conducting organic horticulture trainings. The
presentation is part of project funded by a Southern SARE PDP titled
“Building Organic Agriculture Extension Training Capacity in the
Southeast”
Project Collaborators
•
Elena Garcia, University of Arkansas CES
Heather Friedrich, University of Arkansas
Obadiah Njue, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Jeanine Davis, North Carolina State University
Geoff Zehnder, Clemson University
Charles Mitchell, Auburn University
Rufina Ward, Alabama A&M University
Ken Ward, Alabama A&M University
Karen Wynne, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network