Of aphid lions and wireworms - launch of the "Plant Protection Academy"

In order to impart knowledge and promote sustainable, environmentally friendly plant protection, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) has developed a learning platform on plant protection in organic farming in collaboration with the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI). A knowledge quiz and new functions have been available to users since 21 January 2022, allowing them to actively engage with the alternatives to chemical-synthetic plant protection.

Which antagonist curbs the coal owl? What are basic substances? And can bumblebees become accomplices in the application of beneficial insects in ecological plant protection? These and other questions are the focus of the newly published "Plant Protection Academy" knowledge test on the oekolandbau.de platform.

The features
This is a training programme consisting of three selectable learning units. When completing the quiz rounds, the basics of plant protection, pest and beneficial insect-specific characteristics, as well as practical knowledge are tested and taught. Information texts, images and links to the video portraits of harmful and beneficial organisms round off the training programme.
The identification aid for pests in organic farming, the so-called "plant doctor", has also been expanded to include a "beneficial organism finder". This enables potential beneficial organisms to be filtered specifically according to areas of application and pests. This facilitates both the diagnosis of pests and the identification of suitable beneficial organisms. The detailed portraits also describe recommendations for action, making the tool an important aid in the search for suitable biological plant protection measures, especially for practitioners.

About the cooperation
The Plant Protection Academy and the extended functions of the Plant Doctor were developed by Prof Dr Ralf Bloch's Department of Agroecology and Sustainable Cultivation Systems at HNEE together with Prof Stefan Kühne's working group at the JKI, Institute for Strategies and Impact Assessment.

The project was developed from the existing co-operation between the JKI and HNEE. Both institutions have been working closely together for six years. Among other things, the "Future Dialogue on Organic Farming" is organised annually, which provides information on current topics relating to plant protection in organic farming.

Funding
The project was supervised and funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as part of the Federal Programme for Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture (Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau und andere Formen nachhaltiger Landwirtschaft, BÖLN).

Note on image material
The photos available here may be used for reporting purposes. Please note the copyright notice © JKI / Kühne