The effects of pest spillover from organic agriculture - Nature Plants

In a study published in Science, L. Claire Powers and colleagues from the University of Colorado Boulder, USA, analysed pesticide application data from 14,000 fields in one of the most agriculturally productive regions of the USA: Kern County, California. Quantification of the direct and spillover effects of organic cropland to neighbouring fields revealed that for every 10% increase in organic cropland area, pesticide use in neighbouring conventionally cropped land increased by 0.3%. By contrast, the implementation of organic practices was found to decrease overall pesticide levels of neighbouring organic farms...