CBC - Biological control by Conservation

The general framework for the CBC team is that of conservation biological control in orchards in a context of pesticide reduction. Conservation biological control aims to promote the control of pests by the community of naturally occurring pest enemies in agro-ecosystems, in combination with other biological control practices. To this end, we are interested in the dynamics of pest and pest enemy populations throughout their life cycles, including when the species use resources outside the orchards. This implies considering sometimes a scale greater than that of the plot. Our work focuses mainly on two main apple pests, the codling moth (Cydia pomonella, Lepidoptera) and the rosy apple aphid (Dysaphis plantaginea, Hemiptera) and on arthropods and birds as pest enemies. Our objective is to increase knowledge on conditions that are favorable to the natural control of pests to contribute to the design of sustainable horticultural systems (together with team 4). Our approach is to make a back and forth between theoretical questions, methodological developments and their specific applications to our study systems, using modeling when relevant.

CBC axis team