European studies network on European whiteflies, their associated plant pathogens and disorders (E.W.S.N. European whitefly studies network)

Background:
Whiteflies are pests of great importance within agriculture worldwide, particularly the glasshouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) and the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Both these species are now exhibiting resistance to many insecticides and are the vectors of crop destroying viruses. Recently B. tabaci has rapidly become one of the most serious threats to the agricultural and protected horticultural crops of southern Europe. An excessive use of pesticides has failed to control the whitefly pests and led to serious problems of resistance. This escalation of problems has prompted many researchers to become involved in the study of whiteflies, the viruses they are capable of transmitting and their control. It has also promoted legislation for establishing whitefly-free zones within some European countries. Other invading whitefly species such as Lecanoideus floccissimus (Martin, Hernandez-Suarez & Carnero) and Aleurodicus dispersus (Russell), are causing considerable concern in the Canary Islands.
The European Whitefly Studies Network was proposed to create an interactive network of researchers in order to collate data on many aspects of these whiteflies and the associated problems that contribute to their high pest status. The network involves researchers from all over Europe with a wide range of skills and experience. Their interaction is improving the transfer of technology across Europe and training visits are enabling the standardisation of all the major techniques involved. Information gained from EWSN will assist the development of whitefly control methods that, in turn will help increase crop yields and reduce insecticide inputs. By establishing routes where science can be taken to the field with the advice of our commercial partners, we are in a position to address some of the problems associated with implementing changes within long established growing practices. Information gained through the network will also help to assess the possibilities and consequences of both whitefly pest species and whitefly-transmitted plant viruses that are already within southern Europe, spreading into northern Europe and into countries that are presently whitefly exclusion zones.

Objectives:
The main objective of this Concerted Action is to gain a better understanding of the current whitefly-related problems within Europe and to identify research priorities, through the creation of a network, to:

i) establish and formalise links between whitefly researchers within Europe,
ii) collate information on European whitefly related problems and current research;
iii) improve exchange of information between researchers.

Many current research programmes function in isolation, some in areas where whiteflies are only just becoming a problem. These would benefit from regular contact with colleagues throughout Europe through the interactive network we will be organising. The specific objectives of this concerted action should prevent unnecessary replication of studies within European laboratories, stimulate new areas of collaborative research, strengthen present programmes and augment the availability of research results to plant health organisations, related industries and growers.
This concerted action aims to achieve progress by:

• establishing an interactive network of European researchers that will co-ordinate and focus work on whiteflies and their associated problems in European agriculture and horticulture;
  
• developing a broader understanding of the present levels of whitefly-related problems within Europe;
  
• arranging training and research visits for members of the network to gain experience in new or foreign techniques and to standardise specific procedures between laboratories;
  
• encouraging regular meetings between participants and organising two workshops in order to present and exchange data;
  
• allowing appropriate field-collection of material for all researchers within the programme;
  
• encouraging long-term working relationships between whitefly and related researchers within Europe;
  
• establishing a comprehensive web site where information held within this network and that gained from this concerted action can be rapidly disseminated;
  
• identifying areas for future collaborative research.
  
• establishing a route to disseminate information from the concerted action to growers using the commercial partners.

During the first year, EWSN expanded considerably. Additional financial support was received from Novartis AG and Koppert Biological Systems enabling additional people to participate in the network. EWSN currently has 63 active members across Europe. The first EWSN workshop was held at the John Innes Centre (May 3^rd - 7^th 1999) enabling delegates working within different discipline areas to discuss and exchange research interests and ideas. In November an additional workshop was undertaken in the Canary Islands to review the sudden escalation of whitefly problems. This event was supported financially by the BBSRC and Bayer AG and enabled 18 EWSN delegates to characterise pests and diseases that were present on the islands and offer advice to growers. The success of EWSN has enabled us to increase the publication rate of our newsletters, which are now distributed to 1,200 addresses worldwide every two months.

Coordinator
Ian D. BEDFORD
John Innes Centre
Norwich Research Park
UK-NR4 7UH Norwich
Tel.: +44 1603 45 25 71
Fax: +44 1603 45 68 44
E-mail: Ian.Bedford@bbsrc.ac.uk

Partners

• Annie ENKEGAARD
  Danish Institute of Plant and Soil Sciences
  Department of Plant Pathology and Pest Management
  Lottenborgvej 2
  DK-2800 Lingby
  Tel.: +45 45 87 25 10
  Fax.: +45 45 87 10 28
  E-mail: annie.enkegaard@dips-lyngby.dk


• Francois BERTAUX
  Laboratoire National de la Protection des Végétaux
  Station de Lutte Biologique
  Route de Biot 1382
  F-06560 Valbonne
  Tel.: +33 4 93 12 90 64
  Fax: +33 4 93 12 90 74
  E-mail: bertaux@antibes.inra.fr


• Jean-Claude ONILLON
  Laboratoire de Biologie des Invertébrés
  U.R. sur les parasitoïdes d'aleurodes
  Boulevard du Cap 37
  F-06606 Antibes
  Tel.: +33 4 93 67 89 13
  Fax: +33 4 93 67 88 38
  E-mail: jconil@antibes.inra.fr


• Thomas FRISCHMUTH
  Biologisches Institut
  Abt. Molekularbiologie
  Universitaet Stuttgart
  Pfaffenwaldring 57
  D-70550 Stuttgart
  Tel.: +49 711 685 50 75
  Fax: +49 711 685 50 96
  E-mail: thomas.frischmuth@po.uni-stuttgart.de


• Stephan WINTER
  DSMZ-Deutsche Sammiung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH
  c/o Biologische Bundesanstalt
  Messeweg 11/12
  D-38104 Braunschweig
  Tel.: +49 531 299 37 80
  Fax: + 49 531 299 30 14
  E-mail: 100705.337@compuserve.com


• Kostas BOURTZIS
  Insect Genetics Group
  Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB)
  Foundation of Research and Technology Hellas (F.O.R.TH.)
  GR-71110Heraklion
  Tel.: +30 81 21 03 62
  Fax: + 30 81 39 45 30
  E-mail: bourtzis@nefeli.imbb.forth.gr


• Nikos KATIS
  Aristotle Faculty of Agriculture
  Plant Pathology Laboratory
  GR-540 - 06 Thessaloniki
  Tel.: +30 31 99 88 57
  Fax: +30 31 99 88 54
  E-mail: katis@agro.auth.gr


• Dan GERLING
  Department of Zoology
  Tel Aviv University
  IL-Ramat Aviv 69978
  Tel.: +972 3 640 86 11
  Fax: + 972 3 640 94 03
  E-mail: dangr@csg.tau.ac.il


• Gian Paolo ACCOTTO
  Istituto di Fitovirologia Applicata del CNR
  Strada della Cacce 73
  I-10135 Torino
  Tel.: +39 011 39 771
  Fax: +39 011 34 38 09
  E-mail: accotto@ira.to.cnr.it


• Maurizio CALVITTI
  ENEA Cr. Casaccia
  Via Anguillarese 301
  I-00060 S.M. di Galeria (Rome)
  Tel.: +39 0630 48 45 97
  Fax: +39 0630 48 66 24
  E-mail: calvitti@casaccia.enea.it


• Carmelo RAPISARDA
  Dipartimento di Scienze e Teconologie fitosanitarie
  Università degli Studi
  Via Valdisavoia 5
  I-95123 Catania
  Tel.: +39 095 23 44 79
  Fax: +39 095 35 67 52
  E-mail: rapicar@mbox.unict.it


• Joanne FRANSEN
  Research Station for Floriculture
  Linnaeus Laan 2a
  NL-1431 JV-Aalsmeer
  Tel.: +31 297 35 25 25
  Fax: +31 297 35 22 70
  E-mail: j.fransen@pbg.agro.nl


• Nina SVAE JOHANSEN
  Norwegian Crop Protection Institute
  Plant Protection Centre
  Department of Entomology and Nematology
  Fellesbygget
  N-1432 AS
  Tel.: +47 64 94 93 05
  Fax: +47 64 94 92 26
  E-mail: nina.johansen@planteforsk.no


• Diamantina LOURO
  Direccao-Geral de Proteccao das Culturas
  Ministerio da Agricultura do Desenvolvimento Rural e das Pescas
  Quinta do Marques
  P-2780 Oeiras
  Tel.: +351 21 443 16 71
  Fax: +351 21 442 06 16
  E-mail: dgpc@mail.telepac.pt


• Antonio M.F. AGUIAR
  Laboratorio Agricola da Madeira
  Estrada Abel Vieira
  P-9135 Camacha
  Tel.: +351 291 92 26 69
  Fax: +351 291 92 25 11
  E-mail: amf.aguiar@mail.telepac.pt


• Francisco J. BEITIA CRESPO
  Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria
  Centro de Investigación y Tecnología (CIT-INIA)
  Departamento de Protección Vegetal
  Unidad de Entomología
  Carretera de La Coruña, Km 7
  E-28040 Madrid
  Tel.: +34 91 347 68 11
  Fax: +34 91 357 22 93
  E-mail: beitia@inia.es


• Christina CASTANE
  Entomologia Aplicada
  Institut de Recerca Tecnología Agroalimentaries
  Centre de Cabrils
  E-08348 Cabrils (Barcelona)
  Tel.: +34 93 750 75 11
  Fax: +34 93 7 53 39 54
  E-mail: castane@cabrils.irta.es


• Isabel CUADRADO GÓMEZ
  Centro de Investigación Desarrollo Hortícola
  "La Mojonera - La Cañada"
  Apartado de Correos 91
  E-04700 El Ejido
  Tel.: +34 950 55 80 30
  Fax: +34 950 55 80 55


• Marisa GÓMEZ-GUILLAMON
  Estación Experimental "La Mayora"
  Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
  E-29750 Algarrobo-Costa
  Tel.: +34 95 255 26 56
  Fax: +34 95 255 26 77
  E-mail: guillamon@eelm.csic.es


• Mariano MUÑIZ
  Jefe del departamento de Protección Vegetal
  Centro de Ciencias Medioambientales
  Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
  c/Serrano 115 Dpdo
  E-28006 Madrid
  Tel.: +34 91 562 50 20
  Fax: +34 91 564 08 00
  E-mail: ebvmm00@fresno.csic.es


• Vicente MEDINA PILES
  University of Lleida
  Institut de Recerca, Tecnología Agroalimentaries
  Avda Alcalde Rovira Roure 177
  E-25198 Lleida
  Tel.: +34 97 370 25 00
  Fax: +34 97 323 82 64
  E-mail: medinap@etsea.udl.es


• Aurelio CARNERO-HERNANDEZ
  Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias (ICIA)
  Apartado 60
  E-38080 La Laguna (Tenerife)
  Tel.: +34 92 247 63 00
  Fax: +34 92 247 63 03
  E-mail: acarnero@icia.rcanaria.es


• Elisabeth GRIPWALL
  Swedish University of Agricultural Sciencies
  Department of Plant Protection Sciences
  PO Box 44
  S-230 53 Alnarp
  Tel. +46 40 41 52 56
  Fax: +46 40 46 21 66
  E-mail: elisabeth.gripwall@vsv.slu.se


• Michael DE COURCY WILLIAMS
  Horticulture Research International
  Wellesbourne
  UK-CV35 9EF Warwick
  Tel.: +44 1789 47 03 82
  Fax: +44 1789 47 05 52
  E-mail: michael.decourcywilliams@hri.ac.uk


• Ian DENHOLM
  Department of Biological and Ecological Chemistry
  IARC-Rothamsted Experimental Station
  Harpenden
  UK-AL5 2JQ Herfordshire
  Tel.: +44 1582 76 31 33
  Fax: +44 1582 76 25 95
  E-mail: ian.denholm@bbsrc.ac.uk


• Derek MORGAN
  Central Science Laboratories
  MAFF
  Sand Hutton
  UK-YL4 1LZ York
  Tel.: +44 1904 46 22 04
  Fax: +44 1904 46 22 50
  E-mail: d.morgan@csl.gov.uk


• Federico GARCÍA JIMÉNEZ
  Novartis BCM-España
  C/ Santa Fe No 1(Edificio Cristal)
  Bajo, Oficina 7
  E-04720 Agudulce
  Tel.: +34 95 034 87 11
  Fax: +34 95 034 31 02


• Nigel DUNGEY
  Hazlewood Van Heyningen Brothers Ltd.
  Hectare - Agro Industria, SA
  EN 5 - KM 10
  Cilha Queimada
  P-2890 Alcochete
  Tel.: +351 21 231 96 96
  Fax: +351 21 231 97 63
  E-mail: NigelDungey@HazlewoodVHB.com


• Marco MOSTI
  BIOPLANET S.C. a r.l.
  Centro Servizi Avanzati per L'Agricoltura
  Via Masiera Iª 1195
  I-47020 Martorano di CESENA (Fo)
  Tel.: +39 054 763 22 12
  Fax: +39 054 763 22 44
  E-mail: rd.biolab@bioplanet.it


• Peter WYSS
  Novartis Crop Protection AG
  CH-4002 BASLE
  Tel.: +41 616 97 71 20
  Fax: +41 616 97 93 67
  E-mail: peter.wyss@cp.novartis.com