One of the legacies of the PURE project (‘Innovative crop protection for sustainable agriculture’) is a range of resources to encourage the implementation of Integrated Pest Management solutions in a selection of crops. Of these, comprehensive material is available for IPM in protected crops, with a particular focus on tomato production.
PURE experimented with a variety of IPM solutions in three of Europe’s most important tomato-producing countries (France, Italy and Spain) over the course of four years. Very different production systems are used in these countries with variations in the greenhouses used, growing seasons, pest and pathogen pressure, cultivars etc. This gave researchers the challenge - and opportunity - to test different potential IPM solutions appropriate for each location.
Their work included, for example, on-farm trials of the efficacy of generalist predators as biological control agents. Two mirid species were used in tomato greenhouses in southern Europe: Nesidiocoris tenuis in Spain and Italy, and Macrolophus pygmaeus in France. Both predators were used with the main purpose of controlling Tuta absoluta and whiteflies.
To increase the efficacy of T. absoluta control in France, M. pygmaeus was used in combination with the egg parasitoid Trichogramma acheae , which parasitizes the eggs of Lepidoptera, including T. absoluta . In Italy, mating disruption using pheromone traps to attract male moths was used in combination with N. tenuis or microbial biological insecticides (Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt ), Beauveria bassiana ).
Trials took place from 2012 to 2014 in 14 greenhouses belonging to two different growers and one cooperative. The IPM strategy consisted of releasing Nesidiocoris tenuis in the nursery (0.5 ind./plant) with the supply of Ephestia kuehniella eggs as alternative food or of Artemia cysts (2013-2014) and, when needed, treatments with Bt .
This was compared to a control strategy using chemical insecticides for the 2012-2013 season, while for the 2013-2014 season the control strategy was different, with no predators released and a conventional supply of Ephestia eggs.
The IPM strategy saved between nine and 15 chemical sprays per greenhouse, while Bt treatments were reduced or even eliminated. Control of Tuta absoluta was extremely successful (0 to 0.1% of fruits bored versus 5-10% and 50% in the control strategies of 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 respectively). The incidence of thrips or whiteflies on fruits was negligible.
Indeed, one grower reported his satisfaction with the PURE results in 2012 as the crop finished later in the season due to its healthy status and no chemical treatments were applied due to the efficiency of the predator released. He has subsequently adopted this biocontrol strategy in all his greenhouses and is now an example in the area for biological control in tomato production. Similarly, the cooperative is now exclusively using IPM based on biological control with the use of Nesidicoris tenuis , resulting in a minimal use of pesticides.
In 2013-2014, researchers found that the strategy using Artemia cysts instead of Ephestia kueehniella eggs is much cheaper for the grower, and this method is under development.
PURE information available on protected crops
Booklet (2013): IPM solutions for protected vegetables | Click here |
Booklet (2015): Results and lessons learnt from PURE – Protected crops – Tomato | Click here |
Booklet: Recent developments and market opportunities for IPM in greenhouse tomatoes in Southern Europe | Click here |
E-learning material: Results and lessons from Pure: Protected crops | Click here |
Deliverable: IPM solutions for protected vegetables : ‘List of scenarios allowing the highest efficacy of pest control’ | Click here |
Deliverable: Performance and side effects of IPM solutions using model-based tools tested by greenhouse trials | Click here |
Deliverable: Prospective study on the robustness of the integrated production and protection solutions with regard to global climate change | Click here |
Deliverable: Ex-post assessment of the selected scenarios after testing in real farming conditions | Click here |
Deliverable: IPM guidelines for protected vegetables in Europe | Click here |
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