Beneficial insects instead of pesticides against pests in vegetable cultivation
Our aim is to increase functional biodiversity, i.e. to use wild flowers to attract parasitoids into the cabbage field - or to retain them if we release them - to increase natural pest control. By strengthening biological control we can reduce or even eliminate the use of pesticides. Our approach thus increases biodiversity in two ways: directly through the added plants and the organisms that use them as resources, and indirectly through the reduction of pesticides, which always destroy a plethora of non-target organisms.
Specific wildflower species selected for buffer strips. Photo: FiBL, Henryk Luka
Specific wildflower species selected as companion plants in cabbage fields. Photo: FiBL, Bettina Weishaupt
Companion plants attract parasitic wasps in cabbage fields and provide a food source, which increases the parasitation of pests by parasitoids and reduces the need for pesticides. Photo: FiBL, Claudia Daniel
FiBL project team
- Henryk Luka (project leader)
Collaboration partners
- Felix Wäckers, Lancaster University, UK
- Mathias Kölliker, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Walter Salzburger, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Pius Andermatt, Syngenta AG, Switzerland
- Peter Nagel, University of Basel, Switzerland
- Michael Traugott, University of Innsbruck, Austria
Funding
- Bristol-Stiftung
- Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU)
- Coop Fonds für Nachhaltigkeit
- Ernst Göhner Stiftung
- Fenaco Genossenschaft, Hauptner-Dietlikon-Zürich
- Parrotia-Stiftung
- Schöni Finefood AG
- Singenberg Siftung
- Spendenstiftung Bank Vontobel
- Stiftung Wirtschaft und Ökologie (SWO)
- Stiftung zur internationalen Erhaltung der Pflanzenvielfalt
- Gamil-Foundation
- Werner Steiger Stiftung