Development of a Pest Warning System to Reduce Chemical Use in Hardy Nursery Stock Production and by professional Gardeners

摘要

In Belgium a pest early warning system was introduced in 1996 by the extension service of the Belgian Ministry of Agriculture. Itscreation was prompted by the withdrawal from the market of several broad-spectrum pesticides and the growing environmental consciousness of both growers and their customers. The warning system meant that existing routine calendar-hased treatments could be replaced by a more integrated pest management approach with selective pesticides and more attention paid to use of natural enemies. The aim of the system is reduced and more effective use of pesticides by limiting treatment to the moment in the lifecyele of a pest when it is most vulnerable. The number of treatments and thus the cost therefore decrease. The system is available to nurseries, garden contractors, and local authority parks and open spaces managers. The service initially provided warning messages regarding five pest species. In 1997 operation of the warning system was transferred to the Research Centre for Ornamental Plants. At that time it was part of a 5-year project receiving financial support from the European Union, and the warning messages were free to growers. In 2001 the funding was finished and the system had to begin to charge a membership fee tocover its costs. This did not prevent uptake, and the system has developed further so that in 2006 it provides warnings about the activity of 50 pest species including insects, mites, and some fungal diseases.