D01.15 - Farmer Training Manual on enhancing natural enemies for sustainable maize management (WP1 Task 3.3)

CABI04 D01 15 29OCT07 v01.00 by Emmanuel Muhr — last modified 30-10-2007 14:37

ABSTRACT: Maize pest populations are suppressed by natural enemies, like predators, parasitoids and pathogens. The efficacy of such natural enemies in agro-ecosystems depends on abiotic (climate) and biotic (tillage practices, chemical treatments, crop rotation) factors. Taking those factors into account, this document addresses possibilities to conserve and enhance natural enemies in the maize production system in order to reduce outbreaks of maize pests, particularly the western corn rootworm. The farmer training manual consists of six instructive sections dealing with (1) the identification of pests and their associated damage, (2) pest management strategies available to farmers, (3) descriptions of the types of natural enemies involved in maize pest reduction, (4) tools for finding and identifying those natural enemies and (5) methods for enhancing the efficacy of natural enemies in maize cropping systems. IMPORTANT NOTE : As a public deliverable this report has been also copied in the public part of the web site.