Innovative Pest Control: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Agriculture
The 10th Meeting of the IOBC-WPRS Working Group “Modern Biotechnology in Integrated Plant Production” will be jointly hosted with the EU-funded project REACT.
Invasive pests, including harmful animals, weeds, and pathogens, increasingly threaten agriculture and horticulture, challenging growers and authorities to protect crops with methods that remain effective, affordable, and environmentally responsible. As some established tools lose efficacy and expectations for sustainability rise, strengthening Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with evidence-based innovation is becoming essential.
This IOBC-WPRS meeting, organized in collaboration with the EU project REACT, will bring together research, practice, and policy to discuss how genetic, biotechnological, and other innovative approaches can complement multi-tactic IPM. Topics include tools such as sterile insect techniques (SIT), RNA-interference, gene transfer, new breeding techniques, innovative traps, improved surveillance and diagnostics for invasive pests, and the practical requirements for implementation at scale.
A dedicated emphasis will be placed on regulatory and policy frameworks, including risk assessment, monitoring, governance, and cross-border considerations, to support responsible evaluation and potential deployment.
- Integrated Pest Management using multiple complementary tactics (prevention, monitoring, biocontrol, biopesticides, other targeted interventions)
- Genetic pest control, including SIT, RIDL, gene drives, and enabling technologies for implementation (production, automation, handling, release/logistics)
- Biotechnological approaches for pest control (e.g., genetically modified plants or microorganisms): gene transfer, RNAi plants and sprays, new plant breeding techniques
- Early detection and diagnostics for invasive pests (surveillance, identification, decision support)
- Environmental, socio-economic, and adoption considerations (benefits, trade-offs, stakeholder needs)
- Regulatory and policy frameworks (risk assessment, monitoring, governance, cross-border issues)
Meeting website: https://iobc-wprs.react-insect.eu
Download: Invitation (pdf)
Election of new Working Group Convenor
Having organised 4 working group meetings, Michael Meissle’s term as an IOBC-WPRS working group convenor is coming to an end. According to the IOBC-WPRS statutes, a convenorship is limited to two terms. We will therefore be electing a new convenor for the working group at the upcoming meeting.
If you are interested in standing as a candidate or know someone who might be interested, please contact Michael Meissle. He will be happy to provide you with further details about what this prestigious role entails.