title: Identifying obstacles and ranking common biological control research priorities for Europe to manage most economically important pests in arable, vegetable and perennial crops.
abstract: EU agriculture is currently in transition from conventional crop protection to integrated pest management (IPM). Because biocontrol is a key component of IPM, many European countries recently have intensified their national efforts on biocontrol research and innovation (R&I), although such initiatives are often fragmented. The operational outputs of national efforts would benefit from closer collaboration among stakeholders via transnationally coordinated approaches, as most economically important pests are similar across Europe. This paper proposes a common European framework on biocontrol R&I. It identifies generic R&I bottlenecks and needs as well as priorities for three crop types (arable, vegetable and perennial crops). The existing gap between the market offers of biocontrol solutions and the demand of growers, the lengthy and expensive registration process for biocontrol solutions and their varying effectiveness due to variable climatic conditions and site-specific factors across Europe are key obstacles hindering the development and adoption of biocontrol solutions in Europe. Considering arable, vegetable and perennial crops, a dozen common target pests are identified for each type of crop and ranked by order of importance at European level. Such a ranked list indicates numerous topics on which future joint transnational efforts would be justified. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors: Eco-Innov Research Unit, INRA, Thiverval-Grignon, France.|Plant Pathology Research Unit, INRA, Montfavet, France.
authors: Jay Ram
authors: JR
authors: Lamichhane
authors: Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institut, Kleinmachnow, Germany.
authors: Monika
authors: M
authors: Bischoff-Schaefer
authors: Institute of Plant Health, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria.
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Bluemel
authors: Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institut, Kleinmachnow, Germany.
authors: Silke
authors: S
authors: Dachbrodt-Saaydeh
authors: Eco-Innov Research Unit, INRA, Thiverval-Grignon, France.
authors: Laure
authors: L
authors: Dreux
authors: Life Science Department, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Jean-Pierre
authors: JP
authors: Jansen
authors: Plant Protection Institute, Szent Istvan University, Gödöllö, Hungary.
authors: Jozsef
authors: J
authors: Kiss
authors: Wageningen University and Research Centre, Biointeractions and Plant Health, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Köhl
authors: Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark.
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Kudsk
authors: INRA, Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors: Thibaut
authors: T
authors: Malausa
authors: Eco-Innov Research Unit, INRA, Thiverval-Grignon, France.
authors: Antoine
authors: A
authors: Messéan
authors: Plant Pathology Research Unit, INRA, Montfavet, France.
authors: Philippe C
authors: PC
authors: Nicot
authors: INRA, Univ. Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Ricci
authors: Invivo AGRINOVEX, Ferme du Corbeau, Milly-la-Forêt, France.
authors: Jérôme
authors: J
authors: Thibierge
authors: Ctifl, Centre de Lanxade, Prigonrieux, France.
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Villeneuve
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics*; D005060:Europe; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D012106:Research
keywords: European research networking; beneficials; biomolecules; biopesticides; innovation; integrated pest management; semiochemicals; sustainable agriculture