University of Reading-led research reveals positive role of wildflower strips in domestic orchards
Insects such as hoverflies, lacewings and ladybugs play a key role in keeping British apples healthy, new research has revealed.
The two-year project was led by a research team from the University of Reading and was published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. This shows that by installing flower borders in orchards, growers can harvest up to 2,420kg (6.9%) more undamaged premium apples per hectare.
Strips of wildflowers planted around apple orchards provide habitat for predatory insects that prey on pests that can deform or damage apples.
In this study, flower borders were installed next to five desert apple orchards in the UK, and the researchers found that only 48 per cent of trees suffered fruit damage, compared to 80 per cent in orchards without flowers. I discovered that.
The research team included NIAB East Malling, Cranfield University and Syngenta, while Avalon Produce, Worldwide Fruit and the British Center for Ecohydrology installed the flower borders in the orchard.
Lead author Charlotte Howard from the University of Reading said: Planting flower borders near fruit trees is a sustainable way to prevent crop damage as it reduces dependence on pesticides. More flower bands next to your orchard will attract better insects to your farm and better British food to your supermarket. ”
Good margin for better harvest
The study also included selected grasses and flowers to provide a year-round food source, utilizing large mature wildflower margins over 5 meters wide. The long-established nature of the margins has allowed time for a diverse community of predatory insects to form.
The research team found that flower margins not only reduced aphid infestation on trees, but also reduced the number of fruits attacked on infested trees. Apples near the flower border were more than one-third less likely to suffer fruit damage, even during peak aphid outbreaks. The significant reduction in damaged crops extended up to 50 meters from the flower habitat to the orchard.
The researchers argue that simple conservation measures, such as creating dedicated wildflower habitats at the edges of orchards, can reduce reliance on pesticide spraying in the long run, encouraging pollinators and It added that allowing biocontrol insect species to thrive supports sustainable food production.
