Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management, 3 ECTS

Course description

The PhD course ‘Integrated Pest and Pollinator Management’ covers basic principles for the design and implementation of IPPM strategies, focusing on the co-management of pests and beneficial organisms in agroecosystems.

Teaching will cover a range of theoretical and applied topics at the forefront of IPPM, including:

• The ecology and economics of interactions between crops, pollinators, pests (insects, weeds, pathogens), and natural enemies (insect and microbial biological control agents);
• Conflicts and synergies between crop pollination, pesticide use, and other IPM practices (e.g. companion cropping, biopesticides);
• Practical monitoring and decision support tools for IPPM (e.g. pollinator action thresholds);
• IPPM, pollinator health, and climate change;
• Industry, societal, and policy perspectives.

Teaching format

The course will incorporate lectures, seminars (including a virtual international workshop: ‘pollinators & entomovectoring’), pre- and post-course assignments, problem-oriented group study, and hands-on training of concepts and tools in computer labs and the field. Q&A sessions with industry experts and agricultural advisors will provide course participants with the opportunity to explore career development options.

Learning outcomes

The course will equip participants with the knowledge needed to translate IPPM concepts into action, towards meeting growing public demand for pollinator-dependant crops, and reducing farmer reliance on chemical pesticides and agronomic inputs.

Upon completion, course participants should be able to:

1. classify key practices and priorities within the IPPM systematic framework;
2. describe the essential role of pollination and biocontrol and means for their harmonisation;
3. plan coordinated strategies for IPPM implementation backed by monitoring and economic decision support tools.

Assessment & schedule

• Class virtual introduction (2 h): October (date tbc) via zoom.
• Pre-assignments (40 h = 1.5 ECTS): Initial report and presentation on a proposed IPPM topic by 3 November; virtual participation at international workshop ‘pollinators & entomovectoring’ 4-5 November.
• Main course (22 h = 1 ECTS): 8-11 November, SLU Alnarp.
• Post-assignment (13 h = 0.5 ECTS): Final report (incorporating peer feedback) by 26 November.

Registration

Registration by 15 September via the course organiser, Paul Egan (paul.egan@slu.se). Registration fee for non- NOVA-affiliated participants: €100 / 1000 SEK. Lunch and coffee included for all participants.

Teachers

Dr. Paul Egan (SLU) – course organiser
Prof. Heikki Hokkanen (University of Eastern Finland)
Dr. Ingeborg Menzler-Hokkanen  (University of Eastern Finland)
Prof. Johan Stenberg (SLU)
Dr. Åsa Lankinen (SLU)
Dr. Rufus Isaacs (Michigan State University, USA)
Additional TBA