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Benefits and Risks of Intercropping for Crop Resilience and Pest Management.
C P Huss1, K D Holmes2, C K Blubaugh1
1Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
Journal of Economic Entomology
|April 22, 2022
Summary
Intercropping enhances agricultural resilience and pest control for climate change mitigation. Widespread adoption requires addressing farmer risks and providing technical support for ecological intensification.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Ecology
- Climate Change Adaptation
Background:
- Farmers need to innovate for climate change mitigation through ecological intensification.
- Intercropping offers agroecosystem benefits like improved resource use, soil water retention, and beneficial insect habitats.
- Barriers to intercropping include perceived risks like yield loss, management complexity, and pest susceptibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the benefits of intercropping for pest control and climate resilience.
- To address the risks and barriers hindering intercropping adoption.
- To synthesize findings from 24 meta-analyses on intercropping's impact.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and meta-analysis synthesis.
- Analysis of 24 meta-analyses on intercropping.
- Evaluation of benefits, risks, and implementation challenges.
Main Results:
- Intercropping demonstrates significant benefits for weed, pathogen, and insect pest control.
- Studies show positive impacts on relative crop yield and gross profitability.
- Few studies quantify ecosystem services alongside labor costs, crucial for economic sustainability.
Conclusions:
- Intercropping offers substantial ecological and economic advantages for sustainable agriculture.
- Addressing farmer-perceived risks and providing technical/financial support is vital for adoption.
- Incentive programs can mitigate financial risks and promote intercropping for ecological intensification.
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