Europe
November 4, 2011
ENDURE brought together an original mix of representatives from industry and research from across Europe. With this collective expertise, ranging from basic biology to applied field work and marketing, the group set out to identify knowledge gaps and key factors for a more widespread application of biocontrol of agricultural pests.
This work, complemented by input from subsequent meetings of the International Organisation for Biological Control (IOBC), forms the basis of a new book published by IOBC and entitled 'Classical and Augmentative Biological Control against Diseases and Pests: Critical Status Analysis and Review of Factors Influencing Success.' The 194-page e-book was edited by INRA researcher and ENDURE participant Philippe Nicot, and can be downloaded from the IOBC website.
The group's initial work involved a thorough review of scientific literature published on all types of biological control. Although it had to be focused on selected key European crops and their major pests and pathogens, this review is unique in the scope of the topics it covered and in the comprehensive inventories it gathered on the potential of biocontrol and factors of success at field level.
In parallel with identifying knowledge gaps and key factors from published research, information was gathered on aspects linked to the production and commercialisation of biocontrol agents.
These results, complemented by the views of experts in the field of biocontrol consulted during meetings of IOBC-WPRS (West Palaearctic Regional Society), allowed the authors to identify majors gaps in knowledge and bottlenecks for the successful deployment of biocontrol. Noting the striking discrepancy between the rich inventory of potential biocontrol agents described by scientists and the very small number of commercial products on the market, the authors propose key issues for future work by the research community, in the development field and prospects for technological improvement by industry.
These include, for example, the need to devise better strategies for the screening of biocontrol agents. The authors say that current methods need to be improved both in terms of logistics (high throughput to allow rapid mass screening of large numbers of candidates) and in terms of the pertinence of criteria for efficacy, production and commercialisation.
They also stress the need to improve knowledge on efficacy. This is particularly important, they say, because the criteria traditionally used to assess the efficacy of biological control methods may be misleading; unlike conventional pesticides, biocontrol does not seek to eradicate pests and diseases but to install a biological balance which will enable the plants to grow more healthily.
To download the book, visit the book section of the IOBC website.
For more information on ENDURE's biocontrol work:
Relevant ENDURE publications (Biocontrol in Selected Crops):
Tomato
Tomato in European agriculture
Diseases more frequently found in open field production
Diseases more frequently found in greenhouse production
Insect and mite pests frequently found in open field and greenhouse production
Main available biocontrol solutions
Nematodes
Weeds
SWOT analysis
Recommendations for biocontrol in tomato
Biocontrol Number Two_Tomato [pdf - 254.99 kB]
Maize
Maize in European agriculture
Diseases more frequent during production
Available biocontrol solutions
Insect pests frequently damaging maize in Europe
Biocontrol solutions for insect pests of maize in Europe
SWOT analysis
Recommendations for biocontrol in maize
Biocontrol Number Three_Maize [pdf - 309.00 kB]
Species
