Holistic Approach To Control Soil-Borne Pests In Organic Orchards: The Case Of May Beetle

Summary

The lack of plant protection products to control soil-borne pests in organic farming has resulted in Poland and several other EU countries in increasing damages by grubs of the European cockchafer (Melolontha sp.) to fruit orchards and plantations. We have developed a holistic strategy including various control methods and agronomical practices to control Melolontha spp. in organic strawberry plantations which can be potentially applied also to other fruit crops. The strategy includes measures that are targeting all the life stages of the pest’ biological cycle. The results indicated that the such holistic strategy allows reducing the number of active grubs and the damage to plants.