published by FiBL and IFOAM – Organics International

Soil-dwelling insect pests may cause considerable damage to crops worldwide, and their belowground lifestyle makes them hard to control. Amongst the most promising control agents for subterranean pests are soilborne entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) such as Metarhizium brunneum. Albeit EPF can be highly pathogenic to their target pest species under laboratory conditions, their efcacy in the feld is often limited due to adverse environmental conditions. Here, we test for the first time if the efcacy of EPF can be improved when they are augmented with trap crops.

FiBL summarises the latest scientific evidence on agroecology and organic agriculture in the tropics and offers 11 opportunities for change for decision-makers, policymakers, and experts in international cooperation.