UK's AHDB calls for new guide to managing pests & beneficial

The UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has issued a call to develop a new publication on managing pests and beneficials across arable and field crops.

A new encyclopaedia-style publication will update and bring together the latest information that can be used as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. It will complement other popular weed and disease publications previously produced by AHDB’s three crop divisions – cereals and oilseeds (HGCA); horticulture (HDC); and potatoes (Potato Council).

The proposed encyclopaedia will focus on IPM solutions and act as the recognised reference source on managing pests and beneficials for all growers and agronomists.

Results from a 2012 HGCA survey of growers and agronomists supported the need to improve knowledge and understanding of pests and beneficials across rotations, thereby prompting the new publication:

“With fewer chemical control options, it is increasingly important to consider the whole rotation to help counter threats from pests – as well as diseases and weeds,” said Caroline Nicholls, HGCA Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager.

“This is why we wanted the publication to factor in key pests of potato and field vegetable crops as well as arable crops.

“As part of an IPM approach, beneficial insects must be taken into consideration and it is important to be able to distinguish a beneficial from a target pest. The two will be considered side by side in this encyclopaedia,” she added.

Proposals to conduct the work must be sent to AHDB by 30 August 2013. It is planned to launch the publication at Cereals 2014.