Integrated control in protected crops, mediterranean climate

Protected crops, IPM, biological control, natural enemies

Castañé C.

Weintraub P.

Owing to the different climatic and methodological conditions in the North and the South, the "Integrated Control in Glasshouses" group, one of the oldest in the IOBC/WPRS's history, has been divided into two working groups, based on temperate and mediterranean climates respectively. The working group comprises approximately 70 entomologists and plant pathologists from the Northern and Southern Mediterranean basin.

The general goal is to promote the research, development, implementation, and training of Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPM) systems in protected crops.

The Mediterranean area holds the highest acreage of protected crops in the world. In close cooperation with the group "Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Temperate Climate" the group stimulates IPM programmes for vegetable and ornamental protected crops. The group meets regularly to discuss scientific results and recent advances in the design and implementation of IPM techniques, particularly those based on non-chemical methods. Cooperative projects, training courses, and publications are some of the group's efforts to improve the integrated control of pests and diseases in protected crops of the Mediterranean area.

In the traditional growing areas, the group has brought about noticeable advances in the reduction of pesticide use and the effective control of pests and diseases.
Several new beneficial species and strains adapted to Mediterranean conditions have been studied and evaluated for biological control of arthropod pests and soil and foliar pathogens. Some are now sold for commercial use and it can be expected that the number will increase in the future.
In cooperation with the group "Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Temperate Climate" international training courses on IPM in protected crops have been organized in the last few years.
Other IPM tools, such as plant resistance, climate and crop management, physical barriers, soil solarization, etc, which are especially relevant for Mediterranean protected crops, have been designed, implemented, and published by members of the group:

IOBC/WPRS Bulletin Vol. 20 (4) 1997, 305 pp.
IOBC/WPRS Bulletin Vol. 23 (1) 2000, 294 pp., table of contents (PDF, 14 KB)
IOBC/WPRS Bulletin Vol. 26 (10) 2003, 192 pp., table of contents (PDF, 31 KB)
IOBC/WPRS Bulletin Vol. 27 (8) 2004, 429 pp., table of contents (PDF, 123 KB)
IOBC/WPRS Bulletin Vol. 29 (4) 2006, 367 pp., table of contents and abstracts (PDF, 498 KB)

Meeting 2006, 14-18 May, Murcia, Spain: