Towards a chemical-free future in agriculture: The vision of grower Koen

decided to find a balance between both approaches. This way of working allows him to gain experience in using biological crop protection . As a result, he acquires [...] consumers eat are safe. Future of biological crop protection Koen advocates for a cautious approach, carefully examining effectiveness when it comes to [...] acquires a lot of knowledge and is prepared to fully transition to biological crop protection when the government decides that certain traditional methods

A dive into organic hop farming and biological crop protection

using beneficial insects mark a significant advancement in the toolkit for organic farming. He envisions this approach as a crucial building block for the [...] Embracing change Lukas Locher, a fourth-generation hop grower, started his transformative journey in 2020, making the exciting yet challenging shift to [...] witnessed a boost in confidence in the ecosystem of his hop farm. These natural enemies contribute to more balanced and targeted pest management, with a specific

Cerall, a powerful seed treatment solution against seed-borne diseases in cereal crops

Biological fungicide effective against a wide range of seed-borne diseases Combines a direct lethal effect and a long-lasting protection Improves plant [...] inactive when the seeds are stored dry. After sowing, when water availability increases, the bacteria will become active and will rapidly start to multiply [...] emergence. These diseases can also seriously affect the crop in a later stage. Cerall offers a powerful weapon to protect the seeds against these pathogens

May beetle

from the Scarabaeidae family, and are plant-eating species from the Melolonthinae subfamily. Although this subfamily contains a number of species which [...] the most aggressive. In early spring they either start feeding again or when the larvae are fully grown a kind of earthern cell is created in the ground [...] es between the adults and larvae of this genus, they are usually treated as a single group, sharing similar habits and biology. The larval stages of these

Chafers

and the larvae start to feed on roots. The larvae are white-coloured, C-shaped grubs, with a yellow-brown head, and up to 30 mm long when fully grown. Larval [...] beetles of the Scarabaeidae family. The larvae of both species live in the soil and feed on the roots of many plants. They are a serious pest that can cause [...] damage is often caused by birds and small mammals digging for the grubs to eat them. Life cycle and appearance of Chafers Adult Amphimallon sostitialis are

Tomato looper

xis chalcites) is primarily a foliage feeder but it also attacks fruits such as tomato and sweet pepper. Older instars eat through the leaves, which make [...] The caterpillar passes through 6 instars. It has a green head capsule and a yellowish-green body with a clear yellow longitudinal stripe on either side [...] tomato fruit, often in a bunch of ripening tomatoes, however, it can also be found in the soil. The pupa has a pale green body, with a dark brown ventral dorsal

Chrysoperla carnea

known as the green lacewing, is a beneficial insect used in agriculture as a natural predator of various pest insects. It belongs to the family Chrysopidae [...] different life stages of the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea , when using it as a biocontrol product by observing its distinct physical characteristics [...] that are harmful to plants. In agriculture, Chrysoperla carnea i s employed as a biological control agent to manage pest populations. The larvae of green

Spidex Vital: Your Vital partner in spider mite control

products for our growers. As the result of many years of research and fine-tuning, Spidex is now delivered in a new formulation; with a greater impact on spider [...] predatory mites have an energetic start and are better capable of travelling the given distance. In a bottle of Spidex Vital a more diverse population composition [...] Vital already have enough energy to develop their eggs. As a result they immediately can start laying eggs after release and don’t needs to get energy

Tomato moth

is a particularly a pest in greenhouses but can also inflict damage on outdoor crops. It is a polyphagous species feeding on plants of 14 families including [...] oleracea) are a reddish-brown with a feint light brown, kidney-shaped marking, and a thin, toothed white line along the posterior edge of the forewing. As in most [...] crop species such a tomato, sweet pepper, lettuce, brassicas, cucumber, cut flowers (particularly chrysanthemums), apple as well as perennial and woody

Even distribution of predatory insects with Natutec Drive

was a brilliant move,’ says Glasshouse Manager Angel Angelov. ‘When it comes to the even distribution of Koppert’s predatory insects , it’s in a class of [...] the biggest private landowner in the United Kingdom and grows a variety of crops. The family-owned agricultural company prides itself on its innovative and [...] Half a year ago, Dyson Farming in the UK took the decision to acquire the Natutec Drive tool to disperse its biological pest control products. ‘It was