Grey mold is the worst disease affecting strawberries. A clever new organic control uses honey bees or bumble bees. When the bee leaves the hive it passes through a foot-bath containing a harmless fungus antidote to gray mold. When bees pollinate the strawberry blossoms, they deliver the harmless fungus to the blossoms, thus inoculating the blossoms and preventing infection. Recent studies in the US and Switzerland show that strawberry yields can be more than doubled with the help of these 'Flying Doctors'
Pollinating hymenopterans
(Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Osmia cornuta) for vectoring
biocontrol agents: Modelling crop protection strategies against Erwinia
amylovora and Botrytis cinerea for a sustainable agriculture. The
project aims at the development of two applicative models of crop
protection against the fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) on pear and
apple trees and against the gray mould (Botrytis cinerea) on strawberry
and grape based on the use of pollinating insects for bio-control
agents dissemination to the target crop. A new topic in phytoiatric
research is, in fact, the role that pronubial insects can play in
microbiological control as efficient vectors of beneficial
microrganisms such as fungi and bacteria to fight against pathogens and
arthropod pests. The use of pronubial insects in their double role of
pollinators and vehicles for bio-control agents could result in a very
efficient, money-saving system for the control of several diseases.
The efficacy of three pollinator species (Apis mellifera, Bombus
terrestris and Osmia cornuta) in transferring the bio-control agents to
the flower organs of four crops is being evaluated and compared with
that of spray treatments for bio-control agent distribution to crops.
In other cases, the possibility to combine the bio-control agent
dissemination by insect pollinating activity with the spray treatment
will be investigated. Moreover, in this project we are evaluating the
proper amount of bio-control agent preparation to be used and the
timetable of treatments to be adopted in relation to crop flowering
characteristics, bee species, climatic conditions, and the global
strategy under investigation (such as the sole use of pollinators as
bio-control agents disseminators or in combination with spray
treatments).
Collaborations
- University of Bologna, Department of Agroenvironemental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTA);
- National Institute of Apiculture;
- Institute of Plant Sciences ETHZ LFW, Istituto Politecnico di Zurigo
Staff
The people involved in this project are:
Gino Angeli
Head of research
Elena Gottardini, Ilaria Pertot
Researchers
Fabiana Cristofolini
Technician
Rosaly Zasso
Natural Pesticides Information Sheets
Field Guide to Non-Chemical Pest Management on Corn Production
Go back to the GMO vs. Organic page
Questions or comments contact the Platform Coordinator
Go back to the GMO vs. Organic page
Questions or comments contact the Platform Coordinator
|
