EUCLID H2020 Project: EU-China Leverage for IPM Demonstration

Technologies and tools to reduce agricultural pests in Europe and China More sustainable pest management methods are needed to reduce the negative effects of pesticides on the environment in general. An EU initiative has developed sustainable production approaches for application in European and Chinese agriculture. The EU-funded EUCLID project has introduced more sustainable pest management methods in Europe and China.

The overall objective was to reduce the negative effects of pesticides, decrease economic losses in agriculture, and provide scientific support for EU and Chinese policies. "Agriculture faces numerous challenges that we wanted to address by studying alternatives to pesticides for pest control," says project coordinator Nicolas Desneux. Tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, and grapes were the main crops used in the research due to their economic importance in Europe and China.

Alternatives to Pesticides for Pest Control EUCLID partners developed and tested the potential of new or understudied integrated pest management (IPM) technologies. “The advantage of IPM technologies is that they target key pests and pathogens of globally traded crops,” explains Desneux. “The use of EUCLID technologies allows for a significant reduction in pesticide residues in harvested fruits and vegetables.” Among these technologies, EUCLID project members investigated micro- and macrobiocontrol agents (MBAs) for the control of various pests.

Macro-CBFs successfully combat the tomato leaf miner, which causes significant losses in tomato production. They also examined new technologies, such as the sterile insect technique to combat cabbage moths and the RNA interference (RNAi) method, which is harmless to pollinators and natural enemies, against various pests. One particularly promising IPM technology, a calcium-based biostimulant sprayed on tomato and grape crops, is effective against powdery mildew.

The product is commercially available in Italy, but still needs registration across Europe. “As a biostimulant, the registration process should be fast, making it even more attractive to other countries,” says Desneux. Supporting IPM knowledge and decision-making Several documents, guidelines, and web tools produced during EUCLID support sustainable pest management. Some key outputs include economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability, indicators of consumer preferences and policy needs, guidelines on the use of compost for plant disease control, and benefits of IPM for end-users. The IPM packages contain solutions and strategies to encourage IPM adoption by growers managing grapes, leafy vegetables, and tomatoes. Decision-support tools have been created to reduce pesticide quantities on grapes and optimize their use. The IPM package assessment tool evaluates the potential of each developed technology based on its environmental, social, and economic performance.

Extensive knowledge transfer and dissemination activities, such as exchanges between farmers and agricultural advisors in field trials in seven countries and interviews with consumers and policymakers, have contributed to raising awareness and accelerating the adoption of IPM in agriculture. More than 35 open-access articles have been published, and more than 60 presentations have been given at international conferences. The inclusion of China and the transfer of technology to this country could also promote rapid IPM adoption across continents.

Furthermore, pesticide-free technologies should have a significant positive impact on the environment, and particularly on the health of farmers and consumers. "By offering innovations to reduce pest pressure on key crops, EUCLID has provided promising solutions to agriculture," Desneux concludes. "This will ultimately reduce European and Chinese farmers' dependence on chemical pesticides."