Objective Spider mites of the genus Tetranychus are important pests of many food and ornamental crops. Although ' biological control could improve food quality, while reducing health hazards and pesticide resistance, it has not been fully implemented because the efficacy of existing natural enemies is often insufficient in arid climates Neoseiulus califomicus (N.c.) is a natural enemy native to the Mediterranean basin and is relatively efficient against spider mites at lower humidities but is currently produced only in California. This study is a collaborative effort to identify and mass rear a strain of N.c. that will be more efficacious under arid conditions than the standard commercial strain from California. To achieve this goal, N.c. strains will be collected in a number of arid areas worldwide and morphometric and genetic methods will be developed to distinguish between them. The performance of these strains under various climatic regimes and on selected host plants will be evaluated in laboratory and field trials. To provide this product at an affordable cost for European growers we will develop an economic rearing and delivery system for N.c. in Europe. An innovative aspect of this project is the chal1enge of discriminating between genetic and cytoplasmic factors, by identifying bacteria associated with N.c. strains and evaluating their potential influence on the host. This ./' proposal is the first integrated attempt to select for and define a natural enemy strainthat is both suited to arid conditions and economical. The proposed study will help produce safer and healthier fruit and vegetable crops in Southern Europe, where most of Europe's fruits and vegetables are grown, and in dry environments/greenhouses in central, eastern and northern Europe. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologybacteriologyagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturefruit growingagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturehorticulturevegetable growing Keywords ABA IPM Neoseiulus californicus arid ecoregions biological control predatory mites strains Programme(s) FP6-SME - Horizontal research activities involving SMEs: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006. Topic(s) SME-1 - Co-operative Research (all areas of science and technology) Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Cooperative - SMEs-Co-operative research contracts Coordinator AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, THE VOLCANI CENTER Address Derech hamacabim 68 Bet dagan Israel See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (13) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all KOPPERT BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS S.L. Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Finca labradorcico del medio 65 Aguilas See on map BIO-BEE SDE ELIYAHU Israel EU contribution € 0,00 Address Bet shean valley Kibbutz sde eliyahu See on map ARAVA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Israel EU contribution € 0,00 Address Unknown Sapir d.n. arava See on map CHARANTONIS BIOLOGICAL CROP PROTECTION Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address Safrapoleos str. 35 Skydra See on map OY SCHETELIG AB Finland EU contribution € 0,00 Address Tiiilitie 14 Vantaa See on map KIVUN STRATEGY AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LTD Israel EU contribution € 0,00 Address Derech menachem begin 116 Tel-aviv See on map KOPPERT BEHEER BV Netherlands EU contribution € 0,00 Address Veilingweg 17 Berkel en rodenrijs See on map ISRAEL COHEN INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL, PLANT PRODUCTION AND MARKETING BOARD, CITRUS DIVISION Israel EU contribution € 0,00 Address Bet dagan Bet dagan See on map ISTITUTO SPERIMENTALE PER LA ZOOLOGIA AGRARIA Italy EU contribution € 0,00 Address Via lanciola 12/a Firenze See on map UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES & APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES Austria EU contribution € 0,00 Address Gregor mendelstrasse 33 Vienna See on map ECOLE NATIONALE SUPERIEURE AGRONOMIQUE DE MONTPELLIER France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Place pierre viala 2 Montpellier See on map ASOCIACIÓN DE COSECHEROS EXPORTADORES DE PRODUCTOS HORTOFRUTÍCOLAS DE ALMERÍA Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Ctra. de ronda 11, 1° Almería See on map BIOHELP - BIOLOGISCHER PFLANZENSCHUTZ - NÜTZLINGSPRODUKTIONS, - HANDELS, - UND BERATUNGS- GMBH Austria EU contribution € 0,00 Address Kapleigasse 16 Vienna See on map
