Keeping with willow-carrot aphid, Mst Atikunnaher has been screening different carrot cultivars for resistance, but the most exciting findings came from companion cropping with garlic-chives, which may offer protection to carrot crops. #AAB_IPPM

Jude Bennison (ADAS) updates us on aphids of organic celery - mostly willow-carrot. Commercial Aphidius will parasitise but be patient (14 days). Can boost numbers with banker plants! Netting hit-and-miss - damaged netting can do more harm than good. #AAB_IPPM

Amma Simon presents some work about aphids and fusarium on wheat; R. padi goes on leaves/stems, S. avenae on heads, which also can get Fusarium. Therefore, S.a. avoids Fusarium-infected wheat but R.p. does not, and can benefit from infection! #AAB_IPPM

Ilma Qonaah has been examining wheat resistance to the aphid-vectored BYDV. She compared 2 apparently resistant strains, finding one had low transmission of virus (resists fast), whereas the other had high transmission but the virus didn't replicate (resists more slowly). #AAB_IPPM

Aphids in soft fruit presentation at AAB meeting on integrated pest management. Sarah Arnold speaking

Ditto with final talk #AAB_IPPM by @sejarnold.bsky.social NIAB surveying parasitoid wasp diversity on aphids from strawberry crops in Kent. 4 main species found plus hyperparasitoids. eDNA barcoding showed more. Little relationship to local vegetation. Sadly missed rest or risk missing train.

Really encouraging results on management of Willow Carrot aphid on celery with Aphidius parasitoid wasps on 'banker' plants of barley that boost natural populations. Talk by Jude Bennison (ADAS, UK) at #AAB_IPPM meeting. Figure @waspwoman.bsky.social would like to hear such +ve wasp news.

Tom Ashfield and a multidisciplinary team have been looking at using multispectral imaging to detect slugs in fields. By targeting on the areas with high slug density, the amount of product (molluscicide/nematodes) can be reduced, with economic and environmental benefits. #AAB_IPPM

Cliven Njekete has been looking at multi-target biocontrol plants - plants which use volatiles, root exudates, physical properties, banker plant properties, trap plant properties, etc. to help control multiple pests via one or more modalities. Tagetes spp. promising candidates. #AAB_IPPM

Sereene Ghariani presents work on RNAi for management of cabbage stem flea beetle - another possibility to deal with this very damaging pest. Once the tech is trialled a bit more, can it be adapted relatively easily to other beetle pests of crops? #AAB_IPPM

Amrithapriya Bindu (JIC) has been looking at Sinapis alba, as a potential source of resistance traits relevant to oilseed rape in the ongoing battle with cabbage stem flea beetle. S. alba cultivars are very variable in their palatability to CSFB adults! #AAB_IPPM

Andrew Gladman (ADAS) talks about alyssum companion planting for control of thrips - both drawing the thrips away from the crop and also boosting populations of biocontrols like Orius. Exciting potential, should be interesting to see the system getting optimised. #AAB_IPPM

On to Avice Hall, explaining how monitoring environmental conditions can reduce the number of powdery mildew sprays needed for strawberry dramatically (yes please!) and the role of silicon nutrient in cutting both powdery mildew and two-spotted spider-mite. Might need to try that myself! #AAB_IPPM

Paul Wilson starts us off with insights into productivity and sustainability in UK agriculture, and his "10 drivers of farm success" - a lot is about willingness to seek new information and look at the business case for interventions on a crop (margins v. yields). #AAB_IPPM #SustainableAgriculture

Day 2 of #AAB_IPPM meeting and today is more entomological (but not entirely!). Lots of good talks on the schedule.

#IntegratedPestManagement #IPPM #SustainableAgriculture #HorticulturalEntomology

Jonathan Jones works us through case studies of precision breeding for disease-resistant crops, enabling pesticide reduction. Highlights challenges of determining PBA-compatibility where receptor genes come from/are based on diploid crop ancestors or near relative species. #AAB_IPPM

Jim Dunwell brings us up to date with ACRE (Advisory Committee for Releases into the Environment) oversight and procedures relevant to the Precision Breeding Act - new legislation/processes to allow precision-bred crops, including with pest/pathogen resistance, to be grown in England. #AAB_IPPM

Allah Bakhsh showed us some results of dsRNA bioassays on colorado beetle - exciting prospects for control. Then Rosemary Collier discussed IPM in fresh produce, and what needs doing as more plant protection products disappear from growers' toolkit. #AAB_IPPM

Meghan England @teagasc.bsky.social has been surveying Irish farmers about their use of biocontrol/biostimulants. Many farmers have tried them somewhat, and many are positive about trying, but lack of knowledge identified as a barrier. Farmer testimonials increase uptake! #AAB_IPPM

David Cooke (Hutton) updating us on late blight in potato - 2025's dry spring meant it wasn't a bad year. Different clones of the pathogen are coming and going. A key infection source is tubers left in the ground between seasons - control your volunteers. #AAB_IPPM

Entomovectoring with @mojganrabiey.bsky.social - bumblebees can carry bacteriophages to cherry flowers, allowing control of cherry canker on flowers (and thus fruit) - bees can find the flowers better than we can to distribute the phages. #AAB_IPPM

Rosa Sanchez-Lucas explains that ash dieback severity is affected by the neighbouring trees, with some species being protective and others increasing risk of severe symptoms. Neighbouring-tree effects could have wider implications in forestry/tree crop management. #AAB_IPPM

Don Pendergast (Agrii) introduces peptide plant-elicitor - promising suggestions it can increase efficacy of fungicide control of fungal pathogens on crops, and environmentally benign - safe and novel disease management. #AAB_IPPM

Joe Helps (Rothamsted) explains how to maintain efficacy of fungicides for longer: optimal doses of diff. products in combo, to slow emergence of pesticide resistance in pathogen. Resistant cultivars slow the development of fungicide resistance, but may increase selection for virulence. #AAB_IPPM

#AAB_IPPM meeting kicking off with excellent talk from Martin Lines @nffn.bsky.social - he has found that introducing flower-rich margins on his farm as habitat for beneficial biodiversity reduces pest damage significantly and much reduces need for synthetic inputs. #NaturalEnemies #IPM