Scientists from the European Union (EU) and China have joined forces in a project to develop new methods of integrated pest management in agriculture. The European and Chinese are working to guarantee a more sustainable control of pests such as whitefly (Besimia tabaci), as reported to Hortoinfo via the Institute of Agro-food Research and Technology (IRTA) of the Government of Catalonia.
The project, called EUCLID (EU-CHINA Lever for IPM Demonstration), brings together researchers from five European countries, working together with China to identify the most sustainable methods of agricultural management that do not require any chemical pesticides.
The aim is to provide scientific support to the policies of the European Union and China in order to improve the quality of agricultural products and their environmental impact, and to facilitate the exchange between the two regions. The goal is to optimise current pest control methods and develop new ones based on integrated pest management, as well as to promote their application. "This should reduce the dependence of European and Chinese producers on chemical pesticides in selected farming systems in each region," explains the researcher Nuria Agusti, of IRTA.
Reducing the use of pesticides is one of the concerns of agriculture, because of the harmful effects of chemicals on the environment and the health of both consumers and field labourers.
The project entails the development of innovative systems of integrated pest management, the transfer of results to growers and the industry, as well as promotions of the benefits of chemical-free farming targeted to consumers.
The IRTA is one of the 18 organizations that are part of EUCLID, and will provide solutions related to biological pest control in tomatoes and leafy vegetables. The project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 program, started in September 2015 and will last for four years.
