Enhancing conservation biological control through cropping system diversifications

Conservation biological control is one of the components of integrated pest management that enhances the effectiveness of natural enemies by modifying the environment (e.g., food resources, habitat) to protect and encourage their populations. As the opening talk of this symposium, this presentation will introduce the concepts of conservation biological control and highlight its relevance in modern agroecosystems. I will emphasize cropping system diversification, such as crop rotation and cover cropping, as practical approaches that support conservation biological control by improving habitat quality, resource availability, and ecological resilience. Through a few case studies and examples, I will explore how diversifying cropping systems can be strategically used to reduce pest pressure and reliance on chemical inputs.