Conservation Biological Control in vegetable crops in Catalonia: use of functional biodiversity for sustainable agriculture

Oscar Alomar
IRTA - Cabrils

www.irta.eu

- public Corporation; Catalan Government - scientific research & transfer of technology to the agro-food sector - operates under private sector law - cooperation with Universities

Infrastructures Ecologiques pour les cultures Horticoles Mditerranennes

Key elements of a proposal submitted in 2005

vision: if farmers see benefits of BD for their production = more willing to accept other
measures (convinced = sustainable) Activities: inform growers, public administrations, and NGO's on the benefits of FABD for sustainable and viable agricultural production elaborate proposals for Ecological Infrastructures in vegetables - review information - prospect, identify and value required resources to enhance key-Nat.Enemies

establish pilot Infrastructures to demostrate effectiveness of FABD for Biological

Control provide public and private institutions with tools that can be incorporated into AES train technicians on the use of Functional Agro-Biodiversity for Biological Control

We agree with the vision of the proposed Learning Network: functional BD is

integrated into agroecosystems and agricultural practice, allowing joint benefits to agricultural production and biodiversity conservation

Mediterranean vegetable growing areas are landscapes characterised by the coexistence of several annual crops, grown on rather small farms, and with a variety of species grown simultaneously all year round (e.g. lettuce, tomato, potato, brassica crops, cucurbits, etc). Greenhouses tend to be only partially sealed, and the boundaries between greenhouses and field crops often become blurred. As many vegetables share the same pests (e.g. whitefly and thrips) problems are exacerbated as there is a continuous carryover of pests throughout the year that is hardly interrupted, even in winter. Vegetable production is highly intensive, with up to three crops being produced on the same piece of land each year. There is also periodic destruction of non-crop vegetation along field margins. The discontinuous nature of such ephemeral habitats makes the establishment of natural enemies more difficult than in more permanent habitats and natural enemies must re-colonize the fields each time. Given this scenario, the conservation and exploitation of natural enemies that are native to the production area should assume a central role in biological control. Our long-term aim is to develop strategies that allow the conservation and enhancement of key generalist predatory guilds that are useful for several vegetable crops that may be present on farms.

 coexistence greenhouse & field coexistence greenhouse & field mosaic of several vegetable crops mosaic of several vegetable crops heterogeneity in time heterogeneity in time intensive land use intensive land use pest movement & carry-over pest movement & carry-over polyphagous pests polyphagous pests

Early development of IPM programs for vegetable crops: demostrate to growers the benefits of Biological Control - reduce pesticide use - supply parasitoids to growers (Encarsia formosa, Diglyphus isaea) - develop scouting protocols (whiteflies, leafminers, aphids, etc) - on-farm adaptation of inoculative release rates of natural enemies

potato

get grower's confidence

Natural colonization of greenhouse and field crops by natural enemies contributes to biological control

polyphagous

Macrolophus spp (Het. Miridae)

Successful natural control of whitefly pests by predatory mirids in protected and unprotected crops greatly reduces pest densities and need for pesticide use.

Development of
IPM program

polyphagous
Weeks after trasplant

log (mirids +1)

Whitefly Index

pesticide reduction as a result of field application

of IPM in field tomatoes
12 10

chemical - conventional (n=14) chemical - controlled (n=36) IPM (n=76)

# treatments

8 6 4 2 0

Insecticides

Fungicides

B. thuringiensis

Arn, 2005; Sting 27: 4)

reduced pest (Bemisia tabaci) abundance as a

result of field application of IPM vs. Chemical fields
% plants with Bemisia

100 80
ch em ica l

60 40 20 0

ed rat eg Int

spring greenhouses
# fields = 103

summer fields

autumn greenhouses
Arn et al., 1996

Natural control is not always fully predictable. Augmentative releases or habitat management are required to ensure early and timed establishment of natural enemies in fields.

0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 Abundance of mirid bugs in 14 greenhouses

enhance grower's confidence in biological control

Augmentative releases of mass-reared natural enemies

http://federacioselmar.com/

ADV: Growers Associations for Plant Protection

- subsidized by the

government - technical advise for IPM - regular meetings with IRTA - key in the fast application of IPM in farmers fields

SELMAR, developed own

rearing unit of predatory bugs, in cooperation with IRTA

Habitat Management to enhance native biological control agents: prospect and identify key plants that contribute to the conservation of predators in the agricultural landscape

Dissemination activities Publication of children's story: Vegetables in search for natural enemies

Confirm prospects for Habitat Management banker plants in greenhouses growers confidence simplified system = model for field

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conservation during winter crop-free periods dispersal & establishment of Macrolophus

20

10

0 m

successful WF control

Required: evaluate candidate plants for maintenance & enhancement of Natural Enemies

Plants may provide oviposition places, hosts or prey, alternative food sources (pollen, nectar, plant juices).

To confirm dispersal and establishment is basic to ensure early crop colonization and early pest control.

coexistence greenhouse & field coexistence greenhouse & field mosaic of different vegetable crops mosaic of different vegetable crops in a farm: several pest guilds in a farm in a farm: several pest guilds in a farm

Need to design multi-functional field margins for pest control

Select insectary plants that attract, retain and reproduce several natural enemy guilds

Confirm the effectiveness of insectary plants in ensuring biological control of lettuce pests
- providing flower patches = attract and retain natural enemies (get reward) - on-farm refuges = ensure rearing of predators - natural predator populations = efficient aphid & thrips control - predator establishment in crop = transfer to adjacent and subsequent crops

recruitment

attract & reward

Transfer from reasearch to the field; training and farm advisory

- Increasing

demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly techniques to produce food - Technology and knowledge transfer is a decisive element in the network involving growers, advisors and researchers for enhancement of functional biodiversity for agriculture - Regular meetings with farm advisors to explain latest results on Biological Control and IPM - Involve growers and farm advisors to make benefits from biodiversity visible - Keep growers and farm advisors updated on new developments on IPM and on how to incorporate environmental components into the farm production - Clearly identify interests and needs of growers to adopt such new technologies: yield increase, more eficient pest control, healthier atmosphere in the farm, etc.

Sustainability of the actions: demonstrate to growers the importance of field margins to enhance natural enemies in the farm

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Transfer incorporate research results into Integrated Production Guidelines

Transfer leaflets, identification brochures, talks, technical meetings

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Transfer technical journals; participation in post-graduate training

Partnerships for viable farming and conservation of biodiversity

NETWORKING FOR LAND STEWARDSHIP Xarxa de Custdia del Territori - Land Stewardship Network: umbrella NGO, 137 members (foundations, associations, town councils, public partnership, protected areas, research centres), devoted to landscape, countryside and biodiversity conservation. - promotes LS as a strategy to conserve natural, cultural and landscape values of the land. It assists the work of land trusts, communicates stewardship to the general and specific public, works with public and private stakeholders.

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Partnerships for viable farming and conservation of biodiversity

- produce quality agriculture and making the project financially viable in accordance with environmental sustainability criteria.

Partnerships for viable farming and conservation of biodiversity

"conversar per conservar" "talk to conserve"

- voluntary agreements: measures to ensure farm economic viability & conservation of natural values - GOB: promotes the farm, seeks funds and commercialization

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Bio-diversity for agriculture

Agriculture for bio-diversity

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