• Transforming crop protection: the rise of predatory mites

  July 21, 2025

  he saw an opportunity that aligned perfectly with his growing interest in biological pest control . “Koppert was the company that pioneered biocontrol in [...] and practical driven - and I knew I wanted to be part of that.” The Swirskii breakthrough that changed everything One of his earliest and most impactful [...] passion sparked by his father, who loved filming bugs in their natural habitat. That fascination evolved into a lifelong dedication to entomology and, eventually

• A turning point in Almeria: how predatory mites helped transform agriculture

  April 16, 2025

  “ At that time, there was only one solution ,” recalls Kris de Smet, Commercial Director Koppert Spain at that time. “ Chemicals, people said that biological [...] was at the heart of that transformation. Nowadays Kris is Business Unit Manager Region South Europe MEA. Kris adds: ‘ I am so proud that Koppert still leads [...] and advice, and access to continuous innovation that keep growers ahead of the game ’. The crisis that changed everything The turning point came during

• World Soil Day 2022

  December 2, 2022

  healthy crops and biodiversity can thrive. We do this through our biostimulants that promote soil health and a resilient root system. We also provide biological [...] biological alternatives for chemical agents to combat pests and diseases in a way that does not impact on soil life. In this we are a partner of the UN’s Sustainable [...] effectively benefitting human health and ensuring food security. Did you know that? 95% of our food comes from soils. 18 naturally occurring chemical elements

• Wheat bunt

  are grey-brown. They rupture at harvest and release black, powdery spores, that smell like fish, hence the common name stinking bunt. Life cycle and appearance [...] basidiospores fuse in the middle with a basidiospore of the other mating type so that H-shaped structures are formed. These can germinate directly or form secondary [...] fungi grow between the plant cells and eventually inside the kernels. When that happens, the fungal mycelium turns into teliospores and the whole kernel

• Bacterial soft rot, bacterial stem rot

  can also be found as secondary pathogen in plants that are infected by other pathogens. The bacteria that causes black leg in potato is a different subspecies [...] rot is first noticed when plants wilt at the time of first harvest or after that. The pith disintegrates and the stem becomes hollow. Because of the bacterial [...] insects, possibly spreading from decaying vegetation to the growing crop that way. Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora or Pectobacterium carovora infects

• Dwarf bunt

  as dwarf bunt. Damage symptoms Tilletia controversa causes (bunted) heads that are slender and remain green longer than healthy heads. The glumes are opened [...] are grey-brown. They rupture at harvest and release black, powdery spores, that smell like fish, hence the common name stinking bunt. Additionally, plants [...] basidiospores fuse in the middle with a basidiospore of the other mating type so that H-shaped structures are formed. These can germinate directly or form secondary

• Bacterial spot

  General Xanthomonas vesicatoria is a bacterium that causes bacterial leaf spot on peppers and tomatoes. Damage symptoms Xanthomonas vesicatoria in tomato [...] small black specks are seen on green fruits. The specks grow into brown spots that look like scab. These spots may be surrounded by a halo. In pepper, the spots [...] brown centre. As with powdery mildew infection, pepper plants shed the leaves that are severely infected. Humid conditions are conducive for lesion expansion

• Gummy stem blight

  General Mycosphaerella cucumis (Didymella bryoniae) is a fungal plant pathogen that causes gummy stem blight. Damage symptoms Mycosphaerella cucumis in cucumber [...] cropping: Remove all crop debris and disinfect the greenhouse Choose a cultivar that is less susceptible to internal fruit rot Use clean propagation material [...] consecutive cucumber crops: Remove all pots and plant parts from previous crop that may serve as inoculum source for the new crop prevent condensation on all

• Crazy roots, hairy roots, crown gall

  has not yet been defined. The assumption is that the bacteria survive in the soil, but it is possible that first infection is from the propagation material [...] General Rhizobium bacteria are soil bacteria that fix nitrogen after becoming established inside root nodules of legumes. Additionally, pathogenic Agr

• Glume blotch

  careful with chemicals that limit stem elongation when the lower leaves are infected and frequent rain is expected Be aware that in a crop with dense foliage [...] five to seven days. On the lesions, new pycnidia are formed. The conidia that are produced in these pycnidia emerge in a pink slimy substance. The conidia