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 take place in collaboration with the EU project REACT.
Invasive pests 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 and biotechnological approaches can complement multi-tactic IPM. Topics include tools such as sterile insect techniques (SIT), RNA-interference, gene transfer, and new breeding techniques; 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 for genetic pest control, including risk assessment, monitoring, governance, and cross-border considerations, to support responsible evaluation and potential deployment.
- Integrated Pest Management using multiple complementary tactics (monitoring, prevention, biocontrol, targeted interventions)
- Genetic pest control options and genetically modified plants, including SIT, gene drives, RNAi, gene transfer, and new breeding techniques
- Early detection and diagnostics for invasive pests (surveillance, identification, decision support)
- Enabling technologies for implementation (insect production, automation, handling, release/logistics)
- Environmental, socio-economic, and adoption considerations (benefits, trade-offs, stakeholder needs)
- Regulatory and policy frameworks for genetic pest control (risk assessment, monitoring, governance, cross-border issues)
For more information, please visit the meeting website: https://iobc-wprs.react-insect.eu