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Flower strips in crops are being tested in the UK to enhance natural pest control, attract beneficial insects, and pave the way for less reliance on chemical pesticides in the field.
Flower strips planted within crops are gaining ground as a strategy to tackle pests without solely relying on chemical pesticides. The idea is simple yet ambitious: bring to the center of the plantation plants that provide shelter and food for predatory and parasitic insects capable of reducing pest pressure.
According to the UKCEH, the strategy has already begun large-scale testing in the UK under the ASSIST program, which is sowing flower strips on commercial farms and monitoring the results over five years.
The proposal gains relevance because it targets one of the most well-known limits of biological control: bringing the natural enemies of pests into the productive area, not just the field edges. In large crops, this difference can be decisive for more efficiently protecting the culture.
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From the “beetle bank” to flower strips within the plantation
The UKCEH text reminds us that the search for ways to favor the natural enemies of pests is not new. Before flower strips, one of the solutions used were the so-called beetle banks, raised mounds sown with grasses and other types of grass, primarily designed to maintain populations of ground beetles.
These structures fulfilled this role well, but the current logic is broader. The focus has shifted to stimulating varied communities of beneficial insects, with the potential to act in different parts of the crop, including the plant canopy and pests that attack stems and pods.
Flower strips are precisely part of this new stage. They aim to create a more favorable environment for predators and parasitoids, offering resources that many crops do not provide throughout the season.
Predatory, parasitic, and pollinating insects are included
According to the UKCEH material, the logic of flower strips in crops is to support diverse communities of beneficial insects, especially predators and parasitoids that help kill pests. Recent research cited by the center indicates that these more complex communities tend to be the most effective in biological control.
The design of the strips also considers species that live in higher layers of the plantation or attack pests hidden in the internal structures of the crop. For this, the combination of grasses and wildflowers is used to expand the range of resources available in the field.
There is also another important effect: offering pollen and nectar early in the season for pollinators like bumblebees and solitary bees. In practice, the system tries to deliver two benefits at the same time, reinforcing pest control and aiding in pollination.
GPS, easy cutting, and less risk of accidental spraying
One of the differentiators of the new approach is its adaptation to modern management. Unlike beetle banks, flower strips do not need to be on a raised bank, which facilitates cutting and allows the area to be reestablished in another part of the farm if necessary.
The UKCEH highlights that this flexibility aligns better with precision agriculture. With machines connected to GPS, producers can record exactly where the flower strips are, reducing the risk of accidental spraying during the application of pesticides.
This feature makes the system more compatible with large crops and the operational routine of commercial farms, without requiring such drastic changes in the structure of the productive area.
A five-year test that could change field routine
The ASSIST program, funded by NERC and BBSRC, began testing the solution on a larger scale in the UK, with support from farmers, agronomists, and industry partners. The plan is to monitor the performance of the strips over five years to measure to what extent they really strengthen natural pest control.
The investment linked to the program amounts to over £11 million, within a research initiative that brings together the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Rothamsted Research, and the British Geological Survey, among other collaborators.
If the results confirm the expected potential, flower strips may cease to be just a promising idea and become a practical piece in agricultural management. For the producer, this means another tool to reduce the pressure for chemicals in the field and make the crop more balanced.
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