Europe
May 14, 2013
A European team of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) experts has completed a preliminary analysis of the most urgent research and extension needs for accelerating the development of IPM across the European Union.
The Collaborative Working Group (CWG) on IPM, working under the umbrella of the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR), has identified 13 key priority research needs following an extensive survey, telephone interviews, and expert discussions.
The CWG on IPM, launched in 2011 and comprising representatives from 17 European Union Member States (MS) and Associated Countries, aims to facilitate a European-level process to support national policy, research and extension strategies for developing low pesticide input pest management in accordance with Directive 2009/128/EC on the sustainable use of pesticides.
In accordance with this Directive, MS are developing National Action Plans (NAPs) and see the CWG as an opportunity to learn from each other and, in the longer term, to identify, plan and share joint research and development initiatives.
In its first report, Analysis of research and extension needs for the development of IPM , the CWG has identified priority topics for potential joint actions between MS, encompassing research, extension and knowledge management. http://labourd.cirad.fr/index.php/endure_admin/content/edit/6764/4/eng-GB
These fall into seven categories: developing relevant and science-based indicators; optimising pest monitoring systems and decision support; designing cropping systems that prevent or minimise pest pressure; diversifying direct control methods; managing pest evolution; social aspects, economics and assessment; and facilitating extension for IPM.
Below we take a brief look at these areas. For more details, download the report at the end of this article.
1. Developing relevant and science-based indicators
The CWG has identified a lack of understanding on how farming practices and pesticide use, occurring over a particular time and space, relate to environmental impacts, which may emerge over a different time and space. This means there are no guiding principles to help farmers adjust their practices in the certain knowledge that these changes will lead to reduced impact.
2. Optimising pest monitoring systems and decision support
The CWG identifies the potential of DNA-based technologies to improve the detection of invasive and quickly evolving pests, but says joint efforts are required to make them applicable to the full range of European pests in a form which is reliable and easily accessible. It adds that a new generation of Decision Support Systems (DSS) is required to support strategic rather than tactical decision-making required for preventive approaches. It suggests epidemiological models should be used in the context of cropping systems and for considering crop damage.
3. Designing cropping systems that prevent or minimise pest pressure
While acknowledging that work on the design of cropping systems inherently robust or resilient, in contrast to optimising direct control methods, may not produce quick results, the CWG says the results will be key to devising more robust solutions. It recognises the particular problems in managing weeds in low-pesticide input arable crops across Europe.
4. Diversifying direct control methods
The CWG says that the combination of direct methods, and their use at larger spatial scales is a source of potential breakthroughs. It recognises that the variety of possible direct methods (chemical control, biopesticides and biological control, plant genetic resistance, mechanical control etc.) and their combination involve a large number of actors, a range of disciplines and will usually involve the private sector. Therefore, it says, joint actions will need to be particularly multi-disciplinary, involve public-private partnerships and will require accompanying actions in related fields, such as the policy sphere (for the rules on the registration of biological control agents and the development of new cultivars). It says a promising area for joint research is the exploitation of landscape management and habitat manipulation for the conservation of beneficials. It says biological control methods need to be further developed in terms of the diversity of products, their availability, reliability and use.
5. Managing pest evolution
The CWG says the management of new or quickly evolving pests with respect to pesticide resistance or sustainable plant genetic resistance is a relatively new area deserving attention. However, it says, new collaborations would need to be built on scant pre-existing resources. It adds that developing robust or resilient systems will be the best way of reducing the emergence of Invasive Alien Species and quickly evolving pests, as well as mitigating their impact.
6. Social aspects, economics and assessment
The CWG says interdisciplinary research addressing the entire food chain is needed because many bottlenecks involve stakeholders both upstream and downstream of the farm. It identifies a number of research possibilities, including the relationship between IPM and its impact on yield and farm economics, and assessing the value of IPM labels, certification schemes and standards, alongside a better understanding of supermarket procurement policies.
7. Facilitating extension for IPM
The CWG says there is a wide recognition that all the interactions linking farmers to researchers are major bottlenecks to the mainstreaming of IPM. It says existing innovative extension initiatives should be exploited as sources of inspiration and agricultural knowledge systems should be better understood. It recommends exploring these systems, including advisory approaches, the relationship between researchers, advisers and farmers, co-innovation, and the use of IPM guidelines and training resources. It also recommends sharing approaches, results and developing connections among demonstration farms across Europe.
From this work, 13 research priorities have been identified and the CWG is now working on further descriptions and ranking of these research priorities, which will be included in its final IPM report, due at the end of 2013.
Based on the outcomes of this CWG, a proposal for an ERA-NET entitled ‘Coordinated Integrated Pest Management in Europe’ has recently been submitted to the European Commission. The proposal aims to deepen the analysis of research priorities, addressing the future of IPM in Europe, implementing a set of coordinated activities among MS and launching jointly funded calls.
For more information:
- Download the report, Analysis of research and extension needs for the development of IPM :
- Contact the CWG on IPM
- For more information on SCAR: click here.
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