Growers have been able-bodied to use instinctive enemies in the fight against pests for decennium . But in some cases , these biologic control condition agents are not effective , for example because the crop is not suitable for them . The Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs Business Unit of Wageningen University & Research is investigating the opportunities of new biological control agents and new program technique . Researcher Ada Leman : " Our goal ? To ascertain that chemical corrections are kept to a minimum . "
In some crops , nursery temperatures are too low for the successful deployment of innate foe . In improver there are crop that themselves are not attractive to biological control agents . For example if there is a lean ' wax layer ' on the leave of absence or stems of the crop , making them too slippery for be lifelike enemies . Another possible obstacle is that the stems and leave lack small hairsbreadth ( trichomes or domatia ): in that case , the harvest is not attractive to innate enemies either .
Over the next four years , WUR will investigate three possible solutions . These include investigate whether spiders are effective against Lyprauta ( in potted orchids ) , leafhoppes ( in amaryllis and St. Basil the Great ) and thrips ( in potted tailflower , carnation and amaryllis ) . WUR will also investigate whether lacewing fly , predatory tent-fly , various Orius species and spiders are effective in lower - temperature crops . Furthermore , the team will examine whether the hairs on a root word or foliage can be imitated ( for example with tufts of fleece ) , so that predatory touch still feel at home in a crop without hairs on the stem or leave of absence .
During the first three years , the research will take place in the lab and research nursery of WUR in Bleiswijk ; in the last year , the solutions found will be tested in practice at commercial companies . Leman : " Many pests cause financial damage to growers . If there are no suitable natural enemies , it is tempting to use chemic agent . We – my collage Sophie le Hesran and I – go for that this can be limited and that we find fresh natural ascendency agents . "
The ' Biological control 2.0 ' project is a PPP and receives fiscal financial support from the Top Sector Horticulture & Starting Materials . pardner of the labor are : Stichting KijK , Glastuinbouw Nederland , Gewascoöperatie Potorchidee , Gewascoöperatie Freesia , Divine Flowers , Biobest , Floralia , Gipmans and growers ' tie Antogether . The ' biologic control 2.0 ' project was launched in mid - May 2024 .
reference : wur.nl
