Perennial flower strips can be a cost‐effective tool for pest suppression in orchards

Howard, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6049-9427, Burgess, P. J., Fountain, M. T., Brittain, C. and Garratt, M. P. D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0196-6013 (2025) Perennial flower strips can be a cost‐effective tool for pest suppression in orchards. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 76 (2). pp. 466-477. ISSN 0021-857X doi: 10.1111/1477-9552.12631

Abstract/Summary

Flower strips can provide many economic benefits in commercial orchards, including reducing crop damage by a problematic pest, rosy apple aphid ( Dysaphis plantaginea [Passerini]). To explore the financial costs and benefits of this effect, we developed a bio‐economic model to compare the establishment and opportunity costs of perennial wildflower strips with benefits derived from increased yields due to reduced D. plantaginea fruit damage under high and low pest pressure. This was calculated across three scenarios: (1) a flower strip on land that would otherwise be an extension of the standard grass headland, (2) a flower strip on land that could otherwise be used to produce apples and (3) a flower strip in the centre of an orchard. Through reduction of D. plantaginea fruit damage alone, our study shows that flower strips on the headland can be a positive financial investment. If non‐crop land was not available, establishment of a flower strip in the centre of an orchard, instead of the edge, could recoup opportunity costs by providing benefits to crops on both sides of the flower strip. Our study can help guide the optimal placement of flower strips and inform subsidy value for these schemes.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/122565
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/1477-9552.12631
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER)
Publisher	Wiley
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