The CBCGDF “Eco-Site” at Chengdu grows a vast area of corns. Besides the corns, there are also weeds everywhere. It is hard to believe that such a corn field overgrown with weeds is almost free of insect pests and diseases.
Wang Weifeng explained that they deliberately let the weeds grow to form a diverse ecological environment between the corn stalks, creating a shade for the insects. When the sun rises, most insects hide in the weeds under the corn stalks and feed on weeds. If these naturally grown weeds are removed, the insects will have no food to eat nor no place to hide.
Same thing happened in an “Eco-Site” in Shandong. Wang Yanjing, the owner of the farm, also used this ecological planting, letting the weeds grow freely without cutting them out or fertilizing. However, the corns appear intact with no insect pests to be found.
The diversity of weeds not only attracts insects to breed, but also invites their natural enemies to live in corn fields to effectively control the number of pests. This can form a dynamic balance, so that there is no need for pesticide. Besides expelling insects, weeds can also keep moisture and cool.
The “Eco-Site” at Chengdu and Shandong, two different ecological farms in the north and south, have achieved good results in trying the "free-range" corn planting. Without eliminating weeds, the quality of corn is not affected and even improved, and labor is greatly reduced. Organic safe food without chemical fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide can also be produced. It is clear that the advantages of ecological agriculture outweigh the disadvantages. Two successful cases of Biodiversity Conservation in the Neighborhood (BCON) show that ecological agriculture, which can protect the environment and consumers, will become an undoubted choice when ecological civilization construction is advocated.
Translator/Iris
Original Chinese article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hn_da9mny0pKgn3VNb4Igw
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