Mike Bredeson

Research Scientist, Estelline Ecdysis Foundation

Farm Like an Architect: Interseeding Covers to Build Beneficial Insect Communities

Have you ever seen a pest outbreak in a prairie? There is an interesting phenomenon that takes place in highly diverse plant communities, says Mike Bredeson, as an ecosystem supported by diversity is more resilient to different types of disruptions from herbivores, diseases and even extreme weather. Interseeding adds to diversity of farmland and influences many other agronomic factors, such as weed control, nutrient cycling and water infiltration. But how can growers replicate the resiliency of natural habitats — such as prairies — on their own farms?

Backed by data and his experiences in the field, the research scientist at the Estelline, S.D.-based Ecdysis Foundation outlines how interseeding cover crops affects insect communities and how beneficial invertebrates react when growers interseed covers into what would otherwise be a monoculture.