News » 29.08.2024 - NL: Twenty horticultural companies get a biodiversity strip

 

This autumn, twenty selected horticultural companies in the Netherlands will start planting biodiversity strips next to their greenhouses. The strips will consist of a carefully selected combination of annual, biennial and perennial plants, with the aim of exploiting the likely benefits for natural enemies of greenhouse pests. According to Glastuinbouw Nederland (an entrepreneurial network in the Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector), a study will compare and test two different mixtures during the next two years.

Project objective
The project is being carried out by Wageningen University & Research in collaboration with Leiden University, and is coordinated by Glastuinbouw Nederland. The main objective of this project is to promote insect biodiversity while also improving greenhouse pest control.

Project progress
Twenty locations have been selected from almost 50 interested companies. In recent months, these sites have been assessed and prepared. The biodiversity strips, each 250 m² in size, will be laid in October and November. In the coming years, intensive monitoring will take place from May to the end of August to measure the effects of the biodiversity strips on pest pressure and populations of natural enemies inside and outside the greenhouses. Various monitoring techniques will be used for this purpose to accurately track insect populations.

The project is funded by various Dutch parties among which: LVVN (through the top sector T&U), Kennis in Je kas (KIJK), Hagelunie-Innovatiefonds, Province of South Holland (through Greenport West-Holland), Municipality of Westland, STUBO Foundation and the Delfland Water Board. There is also an in-kind contribution from Biobest, ECW Energy, and the Federatie Vruchtgroentenorganisaties (federation of fruit and vegetable organisations).

 

Source: www.floraldaily.com
 

« Back