Pest and disease control

Agrobiodiversity curbs pests and diseases through ecological balance and diversity. Interactions among plants, microbes, insects, and vertebrates limit the dominance of any single pest or pathogen, while crop diversification restricts suitable hosts and slows epidemic spread. Richer vegetation supports natural enemies—predators, parasitoids, and pollinators—and practices such as intercropping and flowering field margins attract beneficial insects that suppress outbreaks. Using variety mixtures and resistant cultivars further reduces vulnerability at farm and landscape scales.