BIO-EMERGENT Operational Group: Biological control of emerging plants in horticultural crops

Following the widespread implementation of biological control, new pests have emerged that cannot be controlled with biological control agents.

Solutions to some pests require basic research, beyond the scope of the OG. However, recent research has yielded positive results against others, whose applications are not yet widespread in the field.

In previous COEXPHAL research, the parasitoid Necremnus tutae was found to be highly effective in controlling the pest. It is common spontaneously, but little visible to farmers.

The commercial availability of N. tutae will be organized, and a monitoring service will be established for the control process on commercial farms. In peppers, C. pallidus causes significant fruit losses due to pitting or post-harvest rot caused by unnoticed pitting.

Since there is no auxiliary fauna available to combat this bug, available information on control using alternative methods, such as trapping and the use of biological phytosanitary products, will be collected. Action protocols will be established and monitoring will be carried out in pilot projects in commercial greenhouses.