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LESSON LEARNT
Project title: PALM PROTECT - Strategies for the eradication and containment of the invasive pests
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier and Paysandisia archon Burmeister
Funding Agency: EC FP7
Period: 2009-2013
Partners:
EU: Italy, France, Spain, Greece,
Slovenia
Mediterranean Partner Countries: Israel, Egypt
Objectives of the action:
The PALM PROTECT consortium aims to develop reliable methods, for use by national plant protection
organisations (NPPO), inspection services, growers and other end-users, for early detection, eradication,
control and containment of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus and the moth Paysandisia
archon. The methods will be developed for use at origin, point of entry, in transit and on-site to combat
these invasive pests of palm trees. The methods will support stakeholders and end-users in the
implementation of Council Directives 2000/29/EC, 2007/365/EC, 2008/776/EC, 2009/7/EC and
2010/467/EU.
Results and impacts:
Both these invasive pests are a major problem around the Mediterranean region and have been
responsible for the loss of over 100 000 palm trees with estimated annual costs of several hundred
million euros since their introduction into Europe.
Palm Protect developed detection techniques for use at trade points and open areas.
Baited traps were
found to be useful as a monitoring tool for R. ferrugineus, and the within the project the best trap
(Picusan®) was selected as well as the optimal lure and trap distribution in both palm plantations and
urban areas. A location aware system (CPLAS) and decision support was developed for use in urban and
agricultural areas. A bio-economic model was used to estimate costs in three future spread scenarios in
which improved detection and control methods were used. The overall outcome of the effect of
improved detection and reduced management costs by implementing the technologies developed
within Palm Protect, and assuming that the technologies operate as described in scenarios, a net saving
of between € 50.4 million and € 31.6 million is predicted. A database of > 350 stakeholders was created
from industry and end-users from European countries, Egypt and Israel, continuously updated about
advances.
Link: http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/101666
crops and varieties for the farming system
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Within PRIMA Pillar 2 “Sustainable farming systems under Med environmental constraints”, operational
objectives are clearly priorities and will stem into an associated temporal plan of activities, herewith
represented:
Table 7. –PRIMA Pillar 2 themes
Pillar 2
themes to be addressed
Crop and cropping systems resistance to drought and
climatic stresses
The PRIMA DIS will ensure that a detailed
prioritisation of the activities within each subtheme is
defined and reflected in Annual Work Programmess.
Such prioritization will be developed on the basis of
the SRIA and of the specific input of the Member
States and MPCs participating to PRIMA Initiative.
Optimizing pesticides and fertilizers use in rainfed and
irrigated agriculture
Use of local biodiversity in developing new crops and
animal breeds
Integration of natural regulation inside production
systems , ecological intensification
Integrated animal and plant pest and disease
management
Social aspects of adoption of innovation in farming
systems
Activities within PRIMA Pillar 2 are meant to target these priorities set of outcomes to be part of the
exploitation potential of the PRIMA initiative. Associated, a prioritisation of the activities needed to achieve
the expected impacts is summarised.
The first type of activity foreseen for PRIMA Pillar 2 concerns networking (indicatively Year 1-2), after that
Research, Innovation activities and pilot studies are planned (indicatively Y 2-10). In parallel to the activation
of R&I activities., training and outreach activities (indicatively Y 2-10) )will be carried out and accompany the
development of the R&I activities.
Table 8. –PRIMA Pillar 2 targets and activities
PRIMA
Operational
objectives
Main target
Prioritisation of activities needed for PRIMA impact
1
Breeding and cropping systems
suited to Mediterranean severe
climatic conditions
New farming
systems adapted to
Mediterranean environmental
conditions
Tools to assist farmers decision
making and risk management
Research projects
Capacity building
and training
Innovation projects
Dissemination and outreach
5
Tools to control plant and animal pest
and diseases in agriculture and
aquaculture
Establishment of regulatory and
surveillance networks and practices
for the benefit of the Euro-
Mediterranean area
Research projects
Capacity building and training
Dissemination and outreach