A new collaborative research project has been launched to help fine-tune understanding of cabbage stem flea beetle.

Led by AHDB, CSFB Research+involves ADAS, Niab and Rothamsted Research, plus a wide network of project partners, and represents AHDB’s largest single investment in the topic.

The five-year project will evaluate field performance of novel control products, improve guidance on cultural control measures, fine-tune understanding of the pest’s development, generate data on natural enemies and prime innovation in CSFB management.

Sacha White, AHDB lead crop protection scientist says faced with a lack of chemistry and insecticide resistance challenges, confidence and commitment to OSR has waned, with the UK shifting from a net exporter to importer in recent years.

“This new research partnership brings together passionate and knowledgeable people from across the industry – spanning farmer cooperatives, input specialists, grain merchants, food producers and applied researchers – to co-design activity that puts CSFB control firmly back into the hands of farmers.”

Project aims

Based on field trials and assessments, the research strives to:

  • Examine field performance of novel CSFB control products such as insecticides/seed treatments, botanical biopesticides, entomopathogenic nematodes and synergists
  • Extend the availability of cultural control methods, including the use of OSR stubble cultivation to disrupt soil-dwelling CSFB pupae and brassicas in cover crops to lure beetles away from OSR cash crops
  • Improve understanding of CSFB traits to target cultural, biological and chemical control, including studying how environmental conditions influence the pest’s development and migration
  • Study the two main parasitoids of CSFB: Microctonus brassicae and Tersilochus microgaster including how to encourage them
  • Work in partnership to co-design activities that target research and knowledge exchange, create spaces for innovation and maximise value to levy payers

A range of communication channels will be used to promote the results to levy payers throughout the project. Activity will be labelled with the CSFB Research+ banner to maximise visibility and help put CSFB knowledge into practice.

For more information, visit ahdb.org.uk/csfb-research