Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to the 15th Workshop of the IOBC Global Working Group on Mass Rearing & Quality Assurance (MRQA) that will be held in Bologna, Italy, 5-9th September 2022.
Our intent is to have an in-person event, following all appropriate COVID-19 precautions and regulations. The workshop objective is to explore opportunities for advancing the rearing of high quality entomophagous and phytophagous insects and mites, entomopathogenic nematodes, and other invertebrates for plant and animal pest management, human and animal food, and a variety of other uses.
The program will consist of symposia on current “Hot topics,” invited and submitted presentations, and posters on selected aspects of invertebrate rearing and quality assurance as they relate to production and quality control. Presentations will serve as a basis for discussion and exchange, with the final aim of improving collaboration among scientists and practitioners.
The program will include sessions on:
- Mass rearing and evaluating biological control agents for crop pests
- Special session on the book “Mass Production of Beneficial Organisms”
- Mass rearing for SIT and other autocidal pest control
- Methods for assessing the quality of biological control products
- Mass rearing insects for food and feed
- Mass rearing and evaluating pollinators
- Open session
A technical visit will be organized in cooperation with Bioplanet s.r.l
Looking forward to meeting you in Bologna!
Maria Luisa Dindo & Rose Buitenhuis
IOBC-MRQA Co-convenors
