title: On-farm evaluation of inundative biological control of Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) by Trichogramma brassicae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in three European maize-producing regions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A 2 year study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of biological control with optimally timed Trichogramma brassicae releases as an integrated pest management tool against the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), in on-farm experiments (i.e. real field conditions) in three European regions with dissimilar geoclimatic conditions and ECB pressure and conventional management (i.e. insecticide treated and untreated).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biological control with Trichogramma (1) provided ECB protection comparable with conventional management, (2) in all cases maintained mycotoxin levels below the EU threshold for maize raw materials destined for food products, (3) was economically sustainable in southern France and northern Italy, but not in Slovenia where it resulted in a significant decrease in gross margin, mainly owing to the cost of Trichogramma product, and (4) enabled avoidance of detrimental environmental effects of lambda-cyhalothrin use in northern Italy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optimally timed mass release of T. brassicae could be considered a sustainable tool for IPM programmes against ECB in southern France and northern Italy. Better involvement of regional advisory services is needed for the successful dissemination and implementation of biological control. Subsidy schemes could also motivate farmers to adopt this IPM tool and compensate for high costs of Trichogramma product.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Jaka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Razinger
authors.affiliation: National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Agro-Environmental and Forest Biology, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Vasileios P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Vasileiadis
authors.affiliation: InVivo AgroSolutions, Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giraud
authors.affiliation: Applied Plant Research, Wageningen University, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Špela
authors.initials: Š
authors.lastname: Modic
authors.affiliation: National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Agro-Environmental and Forest Biology, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sattin
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Urek
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D007558:Italy; D009036:Moths / Q000254:growth & development*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: European corn borer; biological control; economic sustainability; integrated pest management; mycotoxins; pesticide risk reduction