Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System The Research Team Imperial College, London: Alastair Bailey, Iain Fraser, Matt Thomas, Abhijit Sharma, Marco Bertaglia & Georgianne Griffiths Rothamstead Research: John Pickett, Wilf Powell, Lester Wadhams & Toby Bruce. The Game Conservancy Trust: John Holland, Barbara Smith & Heather Oaten. RELU: Re-bugging the System - Promoting Adoption of Alternative Pest Management Strategies in Field Crop Systems.

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Overarching Research Objectives Understand why ‘biocontrol’ has not seen extensive commercial adoption in UK cereal farming –problem with the ‘science’? or –problem with ‘economics’? Use “Habitat Manipulation” & “Semiochemicals” as examples of alternative technologies. Investigate both potential technical & economic failure by –scaling the science –integrating the science (technologies) and –understanding the economic decision to adopt.

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Economics – a market failure? Adoption decision process dominated by private cost/benefit considerations. BUT social cost/benefits likely to be significant. The problem is really a technology replacement decision where the incumbent technology is effective, well understood and economic to the decision maker. New technology has uncertain efficacy, is not well understood because it has received far less research effort and may not be economic for the early adopter. Chemical technology may be ‘locked-in’ on a ‘path dependent’ course.

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Ecology – understanding biocontrol Key questions – what is the impact of: –Agricultural intensity on biodiversity? –Farmland biodiversity on pest control function? –Natural enemy diversity and pest control function? Community composition Pest-control Function Agricultural management ? ?

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Rove beetles Spiders Ground beetles Generalist predators Aphid specific predators Hoverflies Lacewings Ladybirds Parasitic wasps

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Biochemical Ecology - Semiochemicals HABITAT MANAGEMENT coupled with BEHAVIOUR MANIPULATION can help prevent some pests from reaching damage levels Non-crop habitats provide resources for beneficial insect species Semiochemicals influence spatial distribution of pest & beneficial insects

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Semio – Parasitoids are key natural enemies of aphids that are ‘attracted’ by aphid sex pheromone Effect of aphid sex pheromone on cereal aphid populations in a commercial winter wheat field (3D Farming LINK Project) Pheromone impact period Aphid load reduced by half

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Semio- Plant Defence Systems Pest damage induces release of volatile distress signals which attract parasitoids and repel further pests. cis-jasmone (derived from from linolenic acid) activates plant defence systems. Effect plant to plant communication. Activation differs between cultivars.

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Field Scale Ecology To evaluate the efficacy and sustainability of both Habitat Management and Semiochemical Manipulation, in isolation and in combination, as pest control technologies across a range of scales. In single fields embedded in landscapes covering four levels of ‘uptake’: 1.Single field with grass strip at the margin only. 2.Central field with grass strip surrounded, 1 field deep, by fields with grass strips. 3.Central field with grass strip surrounded, 2 fields deep, by fields with grass strips. 4.Central field with grass strip surrounded, 3 fields deep, by fields with grass strips.

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Integrating the understanding from the disciplines Beyond the continual feedback between disciplines…. The key integration of both knowledge and understanding for the different disciplines and research arenas will be a “Bioeconomic” model. Includes models of natural ecosystem function and the action of human systems within a dynamic integrated structure including intersystem feedback, with or without equilibrium. To ‘proof’ our understanding and to provide a decision support aid for early adopters.

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Policy Design Public Policy Design and integration –Pesticide Tax? –Voluntary Agreement? –Integration with 2 nd Pillar schemes (Entry Level) –Subsidised Early Adopter/Demonstration Farms? Private – Contract Design –Optimal Contracts –Managed Supply Chains –Harness traceability systems

Imperial College, London. Re-bugging the System Global Aims Do the appropriate; –science –at the appropriate scales –with the appropriate degree of interdisciplinary understanding. Generate the appropriate results data to influence; –the policy design process –the commercial adoption decision process. Generate benefits across society. Key audience Practitioners –Farmers –Agronomists –Food buyers –Food Marketers Policy formers –Public policy makers –Food chain managers The wider society –Food consumers –Environmental interests. The Research community

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