This document discusses the benefits of companion planting for soil health and pest management. Companion planting involves growing two or more crop species together. It can improve soil health by increasing nitrogen fixation from legumes, conserving moisture and nutrients. Companion planting also aids pest management by using some plants as barriers, traps, or to attract beneficial insects while repelling pests. The document analyzes different mechanisms for how companion planting enhances soil properties and provides non-chemical pest control.

1. Companion Planting:
A Sustainable Way of
Improving Soil Health
and Pest Management
Val C. Garcia
MS Crop Protection

2. What is Companion Crops
 Within the scientific world, it is also known as intercropping
 In Agriculture (Horticulture), is a crop plant that is grown alongside
another crop plant species.
 The practice of planting several types of plants together for mutual
benefit
History of Companion Crops
 More than 1,000 years ago, China and Egypt
 Centuries ago, in North America (Three Sisters Method)
Companion Planting

3. Statement of the Problem
Companion planting have the capacity to improve soil health and pest
management and consequently improve the yield per unit area of an
ecologically balanced farm environment?

4. Soil Protection
Soil Protection
1. Prevent run-off and soil loss
2. Minimize the impact for soil
erosion
3. Protect from raindrop impact
4. Avoid pore blockage
5. Delay the flow of running water
6. Minimize nutrient leaking – act as
catch crop
 Oats (Avena saliva) are frequently
grown alongside alfalfa
(Medicago saliva)
○ Raindrops are intercepted by
the canopy, which reduces
seal formation and soil
detachment.
○ Effect on infiltration by
concentrating water around
plant stems.

5. Improved Soil Chemical
Prevent Soil Sickness
1. Enhance soil microbial diversity
2. Enhance soil chemical properties
3. Ability to affect the chemistry, and
structure of the soil.
4. Modifies soil microbial populations
5. Improves agricultural output
 Companion cropping with wheat
variety Dongnong 125 promote
watermelon growth.
 Wheat can alter the soil microbial
population, which increases
cucumber productivity.

6. Nutrient Transfer
Possible mechanism of N transfer:
1. Mineralization of foliage cuttings
and crop residues.
2. Mineralization of root materials.
3. Rhizodeposition
4. Direct transfer via mycorrhizal
connections between the plants.
● Forage legumes have a greatest
potential as a companion crop as they
contribute over 90% of their N from
atmospheric fixation compared to just
50% by grain legumes.
○ legume species
○ age and management
○ soil nutrient supply
○ soil microbial mineralisation and
immobilisation
○ residue quality

7. Pest Management Strategy
Repellent Plants
Barrier Plants
Barrier plants such as sunflower,
sorghum, sesame and pearl millet
are utilized to protect pepper and
wheat crops
Chinese kale intercropping with
• Sacred basil (Phyllotreta sinuate)
• Citrnella grass (Spodoptera litura)
as repellant plants resulted in minor pest
damage
Indicator Plants
Bean plant, Phaseolus vulgaris,
identified as indicator plants for
Carmine spider mine
(Tetranychus cinnabarinus)

8. Pest Management Strategy
Trap Plants
Greenhouse poinsettia, Euphorbia
pulcherrima, operate as trap plants for
whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum)
Insectary Plants
Insectary plant sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima),
buckwheat (Fagopyrum sagittatum), and licorice mint
(Agastache foeniculum) improved the longevity of crucial
parasotoid wasps.
Banker Plants
Cereal plants serves as banker
plants, allowing for the constant entry
of newly emerged wasps for aphid
control

9. Companion Planting Factors
Pest Management
56% 14%
21% 9%
Nutrient Transfer
Improving Soil
Chemistry
Soil Protection

10. Companion Planting : A sustainable way of improving
soil health and pest management
 Soil health – increasing nitrogen fixation (legumes), conserving soil
moisture, lowering the soil temperature,
 Minimize soil erosion, conserving soil moisture so safeguarding
delicate soils.
 Plant variety modifies soil microbial populations, and this positive
feedback between plants and soil improves agricultural output.
 Companion planting in intercropping with target crops is a non-
chemical approach of enhancing pest management.

11. CREDITS: This presentation template was created
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MANY THANKS!