Predictive tools to support the efficient use of biocontrol products

The need of tools and methods supporting decision-making has a long history in crop management. Moreover, it becomes more and more important as the need of pesticide use reduction makes the use of adequate combinations of crop protection interventions mandatory. In terms of biocontrol, some enterprises even advocate that the expansion of biocontrol depends on efficient tools allowing easier and more efficient use of BCA. Here, our aim is to test decision-making support tools, aiming at reducing working-time dedicated to crop protection, while improving crop protection strategies, with a particular focus on the optimization of biocontrol product use.

The action is a pilot project that will be restricted to one system “enterprise – end-users network” (ANASAC is the only participant of the private sector in this action). The research will involve a generic crop monitoring system based on spatio-temporal maps displaying “real-time” pest and crop state dynamics. This system will be coupled with data acquisition procedures designed to be simple, easy and fast. The system will advise the users on when, where and how to use crop protection actions to optimize the net final result.