Designing strip intercropping systems

Problem 
Farming landscapes dominated by monocultures are vulnerable to pests and diseases, in part because of a general loss of biodiversity in the field.

Solution
Strip intercropping creates spatial diversity within the field, which helps support biodiversity and related ecosystem services (such as biocontrol of pests and diseases).

Outcomes
Strip cropping experiments have shown an increase in general biodiversity and beneficial insects, higher yields for various crops, slower development of pests and diseases, and less soil structural damage. By choosing strip widths compatible with the machines a farmer already has, implementation on commercial farms can be realised without significant changes in equipment or management.