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Maria Viketoft
Researcher at the Department of Ecology
maria.viketoft@slu.se
Telephone: 018 -67 1505
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How flower strips give ecosystem services above and below ground is investigated in new project
Published: 29 November 2019
Growing flowers to support beneficial insects that eat pests is a way of utilizing natural processes in a sustainable agriculture. So far, the adoption of this method has been hampered, but Maria Viketoft with colleagues hopes to change that. Maria has received close to three million SEK from Formas to investigate how different flowers affect their environment and how they should be combined to maximize ecological and economic benefits.
Adding flowers to the cropping system that support natural enemies is a promising option to achieve crop protection in Swedish horticulture. Although these flower strips have also been shown to favor pollinating insects, the adoption of this method has been hampered in Sweden.
– We believe that growers only see a limited economic benefit and are also afraid that the flower strips will promote insect pests and diseases, says Maria Viketoft.
To benefit beneficial animals without helping pests
To make these flower strips more effective, different aspects will be examined. Today, only a few flowers are used in flower strips. Therefore, 25 different flowering plants will be investigated to see which ones that best support natural enemies of pest insects and pollinators without favoring pest insects and diseases.
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Flower strips have been shown to benefit pollinators and aboveground natural enemies, but their effect on soil fauna like nematodes is unknown. Photo: Maria Viketoft
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How different flowers affect their environment and how they should be combined to maximize the delivery of ecosystem services and increase the economic benefits will be examined in the project. Photo: Maria Viketoft
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How is life underground affected?
In addition, the impact of the various plant species on soil life will be studied. There are many beneficial soil animals that, among other things, contribute to degradation, help to loosen up the soil and increase the soil's water-holding capacity and release nutrients that the crop can absorb. But there are also pests that can decrease harvest yields. Nematodes, or roundworms as they are also called, can be both beneficial and harmful.
Specially designed flower strips for strawberry cultivations
In addition, flower strips optimized for strawberry cultivation will be designed in the project.
– We will do field trials in commercial strawberry fields and test the concept of designed flower strips for one or more specific ecosystem services. Strawberries are often attacked by insect pests, fungal diseases and nematodes and are favored by pollination. It is therefore a perfect model crop, says Maria.