Study

Organic farming systems benefit biodiversity and natural pest regulation in white cabbage

  • Published source details Meyling N.V., Navntoft S. & Eilenberg J. (2010) Organic farming systems benefit biodiversity and natural pest regulation in white cabbage. ICROFS News, 4-5.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Convert to organic farming

Action Link
Natural Pest Control
  1. Convert to organic farming

    A controlled, replicated study in 2007-2009 in Ã…rslev, Denmark (Meyling et al. 2010) (the same study as Meyling et al. 2011) found 3-4 times more money spiders (Linyphiidae) in organic than conventional plots of white cabbage Brassica oleracea in July 2008. Other natural enemy numbers varied with the method of organic farming. Organic plots with bare soil around crops had 2-4 times more small (<8 mm length) predatory beetle (Coleoptera) activity in May and July 2008 than in other organic and conventional treatments (where numbers were similar). Ground beetles (Carabidae) were most frequent in green-manured organic plots (occurring in 50-70% of traps in May 2007 and 2008) but other organic treatments had similar or lower occurrence (5-30%) than the conventional control (25-30%). Cabbage root fly Delia radicum pupae were 2-3 times scarcer in organic than conventional plots, but numbers of fly eggs were similar between treatments. Cabbage was grown under four types of management: high-input organic, low-input organic with green manure incorporated before cropping (creating bare soil around crops), low-input organic with green manure strips conserved between crop rows, and a conventional control. Pitfall traps were used to sample natural enemies during the root fly egg-laying season.

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