The insectarium is designed to rear beneficial insects within research and application programmes aimed at the control of insect pests of Mediterranean crops. Beneficials are reared in chambers on their hosts inside Plexiglas cages to complete their life cycle. The insectarium is equipped with a laboratory and stereomicroscopes used for the identification of insects.
Activity 1: Rearing and study of the main alien Mediterranean insects and of their natural enemies (predators and/or parasitoids).
Activity 2: Study and characterisation of fungal and/or bacterial diseases of the main Mediterranean crops in organic farming.
Activity 3: Study and testing of cold treatment methods to prevent insect pest contamination in organic Mediterranean fruit and vegetables (e.g.: table grapes, kiwi, cherries, apricots, etc).
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