Trans-Pest in action : project progress

A well-established cross-border dynamic

The first year of the project made it possible to consolidate a network of partners from academia, the private sector, and agricultural technical organizations within the cross-border area between Hauts-de-France, Wallonia, and Flanders. This close collaboration fostered the sharing of complementary expertise and the implementation of joint approaches.

Ongoing research and collaborations within Trans-Pest

During this first year, project partners developed and harmonized experimental protocols aimed at improving the understanding of how environmental variability affects the effectiveness of biological control solutions. Several coordinated research activities are currently being conducted on agronomically important plant–pest–natural enemy systems, notably in sugar beet, wheat, leek, potato, and strawberry. These studies incorporate current and future climate scenarios, as well as different types of stress (temperature, water stress, cropping conditions), by combining laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments.

Regular exchanges of biological material, data, and expertise strengthen the coherence and effectiveness of these cross-border approaches. Ongoing studies focus on the use of lipopeptides (in laboratory and greenhouse conditions), essential oils, entomopathogenic fungi, Attract & Kill formulations, and the selection of natural enemies with greater tolerance to thermal stress. The first results highlight a strong dependence of biological control effectiveness on climatic context and emphasize the importance of trophic and multi-trophic interactions.

Greenhouse experiments: Effects of water stress on the efficacy of a lipopeptide produced by Bacillus subtilis, surfactin, in regulating cereal aphid populations

Simplified illustration of the Attract & Kill solution

The Trans-Pest project thus contributes to a better understanding of both the limitations and the adaptive potential of biological control strategies in the face of global change. This knowledge provides an essential basis for improving the application protocols of existing solutions, enhancing their robustness to climatic variability, and supporting farmers in the transition toward more sustainable and resilient practices.

These research activities are accompanied by training actions, co-supervision of PhD theses and master’s projects, as well as joint participation in scientific conferences and outreach events. Altogether, these activities illustrate the collective dynamic of the Trans-Pest project and lay the foundations for the development of innovative, sustainable biological control strategies adapted to future climatic conditions, serving agricultural sectors and regional territories.

Dissemination, exchange, and outreach

In parallel with scientific work, the project has implemented communication and exchange activities with local stakeholders. These interactions aim to promote knowledge transfer, integrate feedback from the field, and raise awareness among a broader audience of the challenges associated with biological control in a context of climate change.

We regularly communicate about our outreach activities.
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