Perspectives for functional agro biodiversity in Brussels sprouts

The commercial production of Brussels sprouts generally involves a high input of insecticides. Conservation biological control in this crop is hampered by the diversity of economic pests involved, and by the high economic losses associated with failing pest control. Within the Dutch Functional Agro Biodiversity (FAB) project, other methods of non-chemical pest control have also received attention. One of these methods is the identification and containment of local sources of winter pest propagation. Another method to prevent pests from entering the crop may be the growing trap plants in the field margins. Some possible trap plant species have been identified, but more studies are required to show the feasibility of this method. Finally, monitoring insecticide-free sprout plots with flowering field margins showed that during summer, natural enemies can contribute considerably, although not always sufficient, to the control of cabbage aphids and caterpillars. For cabbage whitefly some natural enemies have been identified, but in 2007 they arrived with too little and too late to have sufficient impact on the fast growing whitefly populations.