The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board has issued a call to researchers for a new encyclopaedia-style guide to managing pests across arable and field crops.
The proposed publication would become the recognised reference source on managing pests and beneficials for all growers and agronomists.
“With fewer chemical control options, it isd weeds,” said Caroline Nicholls, HGCA Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager.
“This is why we wanted the publication to factor in key pests of potato and field vegetable crops as well as arable crops.
“As part of an IPM approach, beneficial insects must also be taken into consideration and it is important to be able to distinguish a beneficial from a target pest. The two will be considered side-by-side in this encyclopaedia,” she added.
Proposals to conduct the work must be sent to AHDB by 30 August 2013. It is planned to launch the publication at Cereals 2014.