THE GESPO PROJECT

GESPO - New methodologies for the integrated management of Popillia japonica

The project was funded by the Lombardy Region through the "Call for the financing of research projects in the agricultural and forestry field" which was published in 2018.

The partners of the Project are the University of Brescia, which is the Project Coordinator, the University of Padua and the regional association of floriculture, Assofloro Lombardia.

The general objective of the Project is to develop rational and innovative strategies for the management of phytosanitary problems resulting from the recent introduction of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) in Lombardy.

In order to achieve this goal, 4 lines of action are considered:

1. Investigation of the biology of P. japonica with particular focus on the vital phases present in the soil (larvae). These activities aim to determine what are the environmental conditions that favour the presence of the species in a given area.

2. Development of efficient and effective protocols for the control of P. japonica. These protocols address the implementation of control actions on the populations within the infested area in order to limit the spread of the species in new areas.

3. Development of tools for data analysis and for the prediction of the distribution and abundance of P. japonica. These tools provide information on the risks in various areas of the Region and allow to predict the best period for the implementation of control actions.

4. Development of an IT platform for sharing Project’s results and for their effective exploitation both by the regional services dealing with the management of the risks linked to plant pests, and by other stakeholders interested in the problem.

The GESPO project aims to produce data and information, supported by a scientific approach, for preventing the risks linked to the presence and the spread of P. japonica. The Project will favour the implementation of shared and effective responses to the important phytosanitary problems generated by this pest.

The main recipients of the Project results are phytosanitary services, growers, nurserymen, companies in the forestry sector, public and private entities involved in the management of protected areas and ornamental greenery.

Through the IT platform, all stakeholders will be able to access, in a simple and effective way, the main information on the species and its diffusion, as well as on the main control techniques, avoiding the use of practices that are not suitable or harmful to the environment. The information will also be made available to all citizens, to allow the widest dissemination of knowledge on the species.