Plant Protection – Entomology & Agroecology

In the field of "Plant Protection - Entomology & Agroecology", we develop holistic solutions for cultivation systems that are sustainable and economically viable. Our goal is to promote naturally occurring biodiversity, and reduce losses caused by insect pests in organic farming.

Our main areas of work:

• Apples, cherries, broccoli and potatoes are among our main model crops. We monitor ecosystem services such as pollination and biocontrol agents, as well as plant biodiversity. We are working on improving natural pest control and pollination by promoting functional agrobiodiversity, for instance by using companion plants, and implementing flower strips and reservoirs in vegetable production and orchards.
• We investigate interactions between cultivation techniques (crop rotation, variety selection, fertilisation, soil maintenance, etc.) and pest infestation in order to develop ecologically resilient cultivation systems, such as push & pull systems.
• We work on invasive pests such as the brown marmorated stinkbug and with pests that can lead to significant losses in organic farming, as for instance, the swede midge which can cause up to 85% of losses in broccoli production. We develop and test new, environmentally sound products, and strategies to mask or repel pests’ insects.

Contact

Dani Lucas-Barbosa

Further information

Organic farming and biodiversity