Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ADOPT-IPM (EU-China joint action to increase development and adoption of IPM tools)
Reporting period: 2024-06-01 to 2025-11-30
The use of synthetic pesticides has been instrumental in stimulating agricultural production to meet the needs of a growing world population, but these products are harmful to human health and the environment, which has led to the development of sustainable methods of pest control. Integrated pest management (IPM) provides farmers with a decision-making framework that allows them to combine pest control tools. ADOPT-IPM is both promoting the development of new technologies and developing new technologies (cultural, biological and chemical in last resort), ensuring the most cost-effective, socially acceptable and sustainable means of control of agricultural pests. EU and China’s agricultural policies encouraging IPM widespread use are hampered, in particular because many non-chemical IPM tools (i) have not been optimised and therefore lack reliability and/or efficiency, (ii) have not been developed in integrated approaches, (reduced efficacy when combined in IPM kits), and (iii) do not exist for major pests including new invasive or re-emerging pests. The EU-China joint ADOPT-IPM approach will ensure that agricultural products are safe for domestic consumers and the environment, while promoting successful international trade. ADOPT-IPM aims to develop, optimise and promote the adoption of IPM tools and modules to reduce farmers’ reliance on chemical pesticides for key crops (wheat, corn, tomatoes and leafy vegetables). ADOPT-IPM targets and combines IPM tools: micro- and macro-biological control agents (BCAs), natural crop protection products, decision support systems (DSS). ADOPT-IPM aims to simultaneously optimise IPM tools and develop new ones. Adoption will be rapid thanks to the design of optimised IPM programmes and stakeholder training. This will be achieved through a wide range of IPM tools, ranging from R&D to marketing and adoption, and by integrating a diversity of stakeholders. It is expected that more than 60% of the IPM tools targeted by ADOPT-IPM are successfully used and adopted within five years from the end of the project, and 40% of the tools should be commercialised or close to be within ten years from the end of the project.
ADOPT-IPM assessed the effectiveness of optimised biocontrol strategies for tomato, lettuce and wheat pests (arthropods, diseases but also weeds) through greenhouse and field experiments, including combinations of IPM tools (e.g. biopesticides, bottom-up effects by reducing crop fertilisation). Field trials are carried out on the use of agronomic practices to promote pest, disease and weed control. Novel IPM tools are also developed since the beginning of the project, targeting wheat and tomato diseases, and maize and tomato pests; including new BCAs against tomato and maize pests, the use of RNAi-based method against tomato and lettuce pests, and the development of agricultural practices such as push-pull to agricultural pests. A database of biocontrol plants has been established and will continue to grow, while the classical biological control programme targeting common ragweed has moved to a next step (host range of the BCA being completed and permit of release granted by French authority) with 26 releases in situ of the BCA in France in 2025 (+ field assessments ongoing in some countries). IPM packages have continued being developed and established, e.g. list of indicators (economic, environmental, etc.) for evaluating the IPM tools and packages, and the design of IPM packages made convincing progress. DSS tools have been listed and web-based IPM tool performance demonstration has been developed and published on partner portal. A significant number of demonstration trials have been set up across the EU and China. These have enabled the evaluation of IPM packages containing ADOPT-IPM innovations adapted to local contexts. These trials enabled demonstration days to be organised, bringing together farmers, advisers, students and researchers. The exchanges contributed to the progress loop that enabled the IPM packages to be developed. A toolbox is intended to provide end users with tools presenting the results of the project that can be used in training or facilitation. Dissemination and exploitation plan (incl. data management) has been implemented. Numerous articles have been published, providing key results to the scientific community on ongoing advances in the management of key invasive pests. By reporting on 2025 demo days and Innovation Participatory Events, drafting technical newsletters, and feeding social media on a regular basis, communication & dissemination team facilitated knowledge transfer across regions and production areas for an optimal uptake of IPM novelties.
Continuous worldwide emergence of invasive pests is a major threat to food security. By developing cost-effective and more sustainable methods for the management of key pests (arthropods, diseases and weeds), ADOPT-IPM seeks to empower farmers with more efficient IPM to ultimately reduce the use of synthetic pesticides across Europe and Asia, and therefore reduce their negative impacts on human health and the environment. ADOPT-IPM is delivering innovative and optimised IPM tools. To facilitate their acceptance and adoption, it is creating and evaluating IPM packages and testing and disseminating them via field trials, demonstration and training events to stakeholders. The communication, dissemination and exploitation of results will target Europe, Asia and beyond. The project is also identifying IPM-relevant legal frameworks in Europe and China, and facilitating market introduction of IPM tools from ADOPT-IPM SMEs and partners.