Work

Short-term ecological and economic performance of transitioning from conventional practices to organic pest management in cotton-based cropping systems

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Conventional cotton cultivation relies heavily on synthetic inputs, driving environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, serious human health impacts, and widespread pest resistance. Transitioning to organic systems integrating agroecological practices offers a promising pathway toward more sustainable production. This study assessed short-term pest management performance and economic viability of five cotton-based management systems during the first year of conversion in Benin, West Africa: a conventional farmer-practice system and four systems transitioning from conventional to organic production combining sole-cotton cropping or cotton-soybean intercropping, with or without biopesticide applications. Across sites, pest species composition and abundance varied markedly, yet plant injury metrics showed consistent patterns: pesticide use (synthetic or biopesticides) reduced crop damage and increased the proportion of healthy cotton. In central Benin, where bollworm pressure was lower, biopesticide-treated intercrops reduced key bollworms ( Earias spp. and endocarpics) but increased the sucking pest Bemisia tabaci , while in northern Benin conventional systems reduced Earias spp. and Diparopsis watersi but slightly increased B. tabaci . Transition-to-organic systems generally supported higher abundances of natural enemies than conventional ones, although diversification effects were site-dependent. Biopesticides did not suppress predator communities, indicating their potential to sustain pest regulation without disrupting ecological functions. Despite lower cotton yields, intercropping improved overall profitability relative to sole-crops in transition to organic and, in several cases, performed similarly to or better than conventional cotton, mainly due to additional soybean production. These findings demonstrate that biopesticide-treated cotton-soybean intercropping can enhance pest regulation and farm profitability during the first year of transition to organic cotton in West Africa. • Biopesticides reduced cotton pest injury in transition-to-organic systems. • Transition-to-organic systems supported more natural enemies than conventional. • Transition intercrops increased profitability relative to transition sole crops. • Soybean income enabled intercrops to match or exceed conventional profitability. • Cotton–soybean intercrops offer a viable entry point for early organic transition.

Source: Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment

DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110299