FARMSCAPING for ORGANIC CROP PRODUCTION

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FARMSCAPINGfor ORGANIC CROP PRODUCTION

• Rufina Ward
• Alabama AM University

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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 .

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FARMSCAPE A Schematic Overview
RESOURCE PATCHES Refugia, Food and Water Source
BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS
CROP PESTS
R. Ward
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General Farmscaping Strategies to Enhance
Biological Control

• Removal and/or reduction of pest habitat
• 2) Augmentation of beneficial habitat
• 3) Trap crops

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Farmscape Plans are

• 1) Easy to implement
• 2) Effective
• 3) Easy to modify and adopt

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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

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Key Considerations in Farmscape Planning

• Ecology of pest and beneficial species
• Synchrony
• 3) Choosing strategies
• 4) Establishment of insectary plants

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Key Considerations in Farmscape Planning
5) Weather temperature, rainfall 6) Annual
vs. perennial plants 7) Soil health
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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
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Companion Planting
Example of companion planting (from left to
right lettuce, cabbage and sunflower).
(G.Zehnder)
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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.
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FARMSCAPING PRACTICES (Contd.)
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
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FARMSCAPING PRACTICES (Contd.)
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
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FARMSCAPING PRACTICES (Contd.)
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
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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
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Characteristics of Ideal Insectary Plants
(contd.)
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
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Examples of Good Insectary Plants
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)
Polygonaceae
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) Fabaceae
Sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) Fabaceae
White clover (Trifolium repens) Fabaceae
Mustard plants (Brassica spp.) Brassicaceae
Queen Annes lace Daucus carrota Apiaceae
Sunflower (Helianthus spp.) Asteraceae
Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) Fabaceae
Skullcap (Scutellaria sp.) Lamiaceae
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia grandiflora)
Asteraceae
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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
farms cropping system, rotation, equipment,
available labor, etc.
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STEPS TO FARMSCAPING (Contd.)
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.
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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. 78.
• 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. 2230.
• Bugg, R.L. and C. Waddington. 1994. Managing
  cover crops to manage arthropod pests of
  orchards. Agricultural Ecosystems Environment.
  Vol. 50. p. 1128.

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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.
  178184.
• Grossman, Joel, and William Quarles. 1993. Strip
  intercropping for biological control. IPM
  Practitioner. April. p. 111.
• 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. 2326.
• 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.

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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. 89.
• 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

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REFERENCES

• Anon. 1990. Strip intercropping offers low-input
  way to boost yields. Sensible Agriculture. May.
  p. 78.
• 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.

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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 CESHeather
  Friedrich, University of ArkansasObadiah Njue,
  University of Arkansas at Pine BluffJeanine
  Davis, North Carolina State UniversityGeoff
  Zehnder, Clemson UniversityCharles Mitchell,
  Auburn UniversityRufina Ward, Alabama AM
  UniversityKen Ward, Alabama AM UniversityKaren
  Wynne, Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network