Photo Credit: Kim Cassida
Did you know diversity can increase:
Pest Resistance
Soil Health
Nutrient Cycling
Plant diversity can add many benefits including:
- Increased pest and disease resistance – it is harder for pests to find suitable host in diverse cropping systems
- Improved soil health – different root structures sequester carbon at various depths in the soil profile and attract/support different microbial communities, including mycorrhizal fungi
- Nutrient cycling – more diverse microbial populations are engaged in the cycling of plant nutrients
- Reduced weed pressure – due to reduction in exposed soil
- Support pollinators – varying flowering times
- Improved biodiversity – wider range of plant, wildlife, microbial, and insects life