Sophie Wenz is a PhD student at the Department of Crop Protection at Hochschule Geisenheim University, Germany, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Annette Reineke. Her research focuses on the application of a conservation/biological control strategy for organic berry cultivation. Specifically, the aim of her current work is to modify prevailing strawberry cultivation systems through various companion plantings to enhance crop resilience. She is collaborating on this project with partners from the Institute for Food and Environmental Research Bad Belzig, the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, the University of Copenhagen, the National School of Agriculture of Meknès and the Research Institute of Horticulture Skierniewice. In an experimental strawberry field in Geisenheim, flower strips were established to provide an additional food resource and a refuge for beneficial insects. They also serve as trap plants to divert harmful insects away from the crop, thereby reducing fruit damage. Undersowing has also been employed to promote the soil microbiota. In 2023, samples were collected using a suction sampler to assess the effect of the companion plantings on the insect community. Collected insects were counted and taxonomically sorted, resulting in a total of almost 19,000 individuals. The data revealed a surprisingly rapid colonization of companion plants by different arthropod orders with a notably high abundance of parasitoid Hymenoptera, which are of particular importance for the control of harmful insects. A detailed taxonomic analysis will determine whether the companion plantings had a significant effect on the establishment of beneficial insects and the regulation of harmful insects. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of promoting biodiversity to create a holistic and sustainable agricultural system that supports organic farming principles.
Sophie Wenz won the ISHS Young Minds Award for the best poster presentation at the IV International Organic Fruit Symposium and II International Organic Vegetable Symposium in Poland in September 2024.
Sophie Wenz, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, 65366 Geisenheim, Germany, e-mail: sophie.wenz@hs-gm.de
The article is available in Chronica Horticulturae