Aims

The working group was established to encourage and coordinate research on integrated disease and pest management systems in oilseed production. Through its regular meetings, it is also intended to serve as a platform to gather and exchange fundamental knowledge and expertise on diseases and pests. Major areas of focus for the group have been:

• Occurrence and distribution of diseases and pests (monitoring work)
• Integrated pest and disease management
• Establishment of damage thresholds
• Development of decision support systems
• Disease resistance
• Use of trap crops for pest control
• Biology of pest and beneficial insects
• Biological control (predators, parasitoids and antagonists)
• Seed pathology in oilseed crops
• Gene technology in oilseed crops – significance, economics and environment