Pesticides Research, 91 – Biological Control of Weevils (Strophosoma Melangrammum and S. capitatum) in Greenery Plantations in Denmark

Biological Control of Weevils (Strophosoma melanogrammum and S. capitatum) in Greenery Plantations in Denmark

Preface

The present report is based on results from the two projects: ”Biological control of weevils in greenery production in Denmark” (Journal no. 7041-0317) and ”Optimisation of biological control of Strophosoma spp.” (Journal no. 7041-0081). The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Ecology, conducted both projects with financial support from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The former project was carried out from April 2001 to December 2002 and the latter project from November 2002 to December 2003. Selected results obtained in the EU-project “Biocontrol of Important Soil Dwelling Pests by Improving the Efficacy of Insect Pathogenic Fungi” (BIPESCO, EU FAIR6 CT-98-4105) are included in this report because of a high level of synergy between the projects.

The authors wish to thank Odsherred State Forest District, The Danish Forest and Nature Agency, for allowing us to perform field experiments in ”Storskoven”, Bidstrup, Zealand and especially the forest managers Stefan Bech Skov and Hans Christian Jessen for their great hospitality and interest in our work.

Many colleagues from the Department of Ecology supported and encouraged us throughout the work. First of all we would like to thank Jan Martin, Chris Lomer (†) and Holger Philipsen for contributing to a fruitful and inspiring working atmosphere, and for their ongoing enthusiasm. Christina Wolsted, Rasmus Eliasen, Charlotte Fischer, Karen Marie Kjeldsen and Tina Ziska are all thanked for their skilled technical assistance.

We thank Peter Lüth, Stephan Brückner and Sebastian Kiewnick, all from Prophyta in Germany, for providing fungal material for the field experiments. We are also grateful to Erik Christiansen, Norwegian Forest Research Institute and Åke Lindelöw, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences for providing Strophosoma specimens for molecular analyses.

Furthermore, the authors wish to acknowledge the members of the steering committee for their support and collaboration, especially Jørn Kirkegaard (Chairman), The Danish Environmental Protection Agency.

Finally, partners from the EU-project BIPESCO are all thanked for collaboration on the projects.

Frederiksberg, June 21, 2004