Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ADOPT-IPM (EU-China joint action to increase development and adoption of IPM tools)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-12-01 al 2024-05-31
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 The Community’s Structural Funds are not only a means of promoting the development of new technologies, but also a means of 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. Despite the EU and China’s agricultural policies encouraging its widespread use is being hampered, in particular because many non-chemical tools of integrated pest management (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 trade between countries. ADOPT-IPM aims to develop, optimize and promote the adoption of integrated pest management (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 integrated pest management tools: micro- and macro-biological control agents, natural crop protection products, decision support systems, The European Commission has published a report on the European Union’s agricultural policy in the field of agriculture. ADOPT-IPM aims to simultaneously provide optimized integrated pest management tools and develop new ones. Adoption will be rapid thanks to the design of optimized integrated pest management programs and training of stakeholders. This will be achieved through a wide range of IPR 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 of the end of the project, and 40% of the tools should be commercialised within ten years of the end of the project.
In WP1, many greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of biocontrol strategies optimized for tomato pests (arthropods and diseases), including the use of combinations of biological control agents with other IPM tools (e.g. pheromones), the provision of plant resources to biological control agents, or the manipulation of bottom-up effects by reducing crop fertilization. Experiments evaluating the effectiveness of biopesticides and natural products against parasites and diseases in tomatoes, lettuce and wheat, as well as against weeds were conducted. Finally, many field trials have been conducted or are underway on the use of agronomic practices to promote pest, disease and weed control. In WP2, the efficacy of new micro-BCAs, natural products and biopesticides was evaluated against wheat and tomato diseases, as well as against maize and tomato pests. New integrated pest management strategies are being developed, including the suitability of new biocontrol agents against tomato and maize pests, the use of RNAi strategies against tomato and lettuce pests, and the development of strategies based on agricultural practices such as push-pull to control maize pests. The database of biocontrol plants continues to grow. The development of classical biological control in Europe against common ragweed has progressed with the completion of host range testing validating the suitability of the identified lacewing as a safe biocontrol agent, submission to the regulatory agency for release authorisation in France; in addition, a natural infestation of the biocontrol agent has been discovered in the Lyon region of France by the end of 2023. In WP3, the list of indicators (economic, environmental, etc.) for evaluating integrated pest management packages was updated, and the design of integrated pest management packages made significant progress. A list of DSS tools has also been drawn up. The web-based IPM tool performance demonstration model is under development. WP4 will get off to a strong start in the second part of the project, since it mainly involves field demonstrations. Field trial seasons and demonstration days have been prepared. In WP5, the dissemination and exploitation plan has been completed, and the first version of the data management plan has been completed. Numerous articles have already been published, with the project providing key results to the scientific community on ongoing advances in the management of key pests (e.g. Spodoptera frugiperda). Finally, WP6 ensured the smooth running of the project, including coordination of all scientific and administrative tasks, organisation of meetings, management of the collaborative platform, and financial management.
Continuous emergence of invasive pests worldwide causes 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. WPs 1 and 2 will provide innovative and optimized IPM tools. To facilitate their acceptance and adoption, WP3 will create and evaluate IPM packages and WP4 will lead field trials, demonstration and training events to stakeholders. Finally, WP5 will enable the communication, dissemination and exploitation of all results of ADOPT-IPM across Europe and Asia and beyond. WP3 and WP5 are also working to identify IPM-relevant legal frameworks in Europe and China, and to facilitate market introduction of ADOPT-IPM tools from ADOPT-IPM SMEs and partners. Consortium members are active in various scientific advisory boards providing science-based data to European policy and decision-making agencies. ADOPT-IPM will address EU-CN policy priorities and global challenges in soil conservation, pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, and food security.