Farmers' attitudes toward the use of biocontrol agents in IPM strawberry production in three countries

In recent years, concerns have been raised over the effects of the overuse of agricultural pesticides on the environment and human health. Biocontrol agents (BCAs) can serve as an alternative to chemicals in integrated pest management (IPM) systems. Although the adoption of BCAs is strongly affected by the socioeconomic environment in which they are to be applied and by farmers' attitudes, these factors have been poorly investigated in BCA research and development programs. Our quantitative survey aims at understanding farmers' perceptions and behaviors concerning the use of BCAs in strawberry production systems using IPM strategies. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 86 growers and 20 agricultural managers or technicians. The survey was conducted in three regions characterized by distinct cultural systems: Trentino Province (Italy) during the fall of 2004, the Sharon area (Israel) during the spring of 2006, and North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) during the spring of 2007. The results showed that growers were more aware of the positive aspects of BCAs than the negative ones and used BCAs with different levels of satisfaction. We found that media coverage, as a source of information, and BCA's positive characteristics, were the most significant factors affecting growers' confidence in BCAs. Our study also identified the following major problem in each area: the amount of time required for monitoring in Trentino, the lack of full pest control in Sharon, and the influence of weather on BCA's efficacy in North Rhine-Westphalia. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.