Damages caused by phytophagous true bugs (Heteroptera) to vegetable crops is increasing for several years and can lead up to 90% losses. True bugs concern in vegetable crops is typically an emergent or re-emergent problem. Depending on the species due to a reduction in insecticide treatments, global warming and/or biological invasions. Today, these pests appear as real lock for the effectiveness of biological protection and induce a significant risk of future failure, demotivating producers to initiate a conversion to biological control strategies. There is a need to develop new biological control solutions and propose innovative, reliable and cost-effective protection strategies. This project targets three vegetable crops (tomato, eggplant and cabbage), the results of which will benefit other species (strawberry, cucumber ...) and other sectors concerned e.g. field crops, orchards, ornamental horticulture.

 

Species to be studied are two genus of Miridae (Lygus and Nesidiocoris) and three genus of Pentatomidae (Nezara, Eurydema and Halyomorpha) responsible for major damage in Europe. Other related species will be added : the Plant bugs Closterotomus norwegicus and Adelphocoris lineolatus often collected in legume crops and the Pentatomid Bagrada hilaris an invasive species that will probably arrive soon in France. Specific identification of these bugs is not complicated for a specialist except for the genus Lygus wich is a complex of 8 poorly defined species in Europe.

 

The objectives of this project are:

1. improving knowledge of the biology of these pests and the extent of the damage caused,

2. evaluation of current protection methods (insect-proof nets, detection trapping, mechanical action),

3. the development of new biocontrol solutions (use of native auxiliaries, other biocontrol products, use of trap plants/relay plants),

4. the combination and integration of these methods with protection strategies in organic farming and integrated protection into a viable technical and economic context,

5. valorisation and transfer of results to the profession and students.

 

Icerya is involved in the first task with the objective to solve the Lygus complex of species and providing supports for the identification of other species through morphological and molecular tools. We will also provide expertise to the partners for the drafting of protocols and the identification of auxiliaries.

 

Leader : Pierre Sandra Prisca (Ctifl).

Icerya People Involved : J.-C Streito, G. Genson, E. Pierre.

Other partners : Ctifl (Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes), INRA Sophia (Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, ISA), Chambres d’Agriculture du Lot-et-Garonne et des Bouches-du-Rhône, APREL, INVENIO, GRAB, Lycées Agricoles de Sainte-Livrade et d’Avignon, Koppert France.

Project founded by the French Ministery of Agriculture