Diversity of wheat crop management from conventional to organic farming: socio-economic and ecological assessment
Abstract
Biological control is a way to reduce pesticide used in cropping systems. In this study we aimed at assessing biological controls and natural enemies populations in a diversity of organic and conventional wheat fields. We coupled this assessment with another one to evaluate economic and work aspects of cropping systems studied. Twenty pairs of organic and conventional fields were studied in Brittany, France in 2016. Carabid abundance, richness and predation rates were collected in fields; crop management and machinery used were surveyed. We identified 2 organic crop management types and 3 conventional ones. Results were not equal for all types of each category. One type of organic crop management is beneficial to carabid beetles, implies less work for farmers and is more profitable. But predation rate of this type is similar to the ones of other types of crop management.
Domains
Environmental Sciences| Origin | Files produced by the author(s) |
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