Biobest puts its multi-pronged pest solutions at IPM Essen in the spotlight

21/01/2019 - Biobest has chosen IPM Essen, the world’s leading horticultural trade fair, to promote its multi-pronged IPM solutions for thrips, mealybug and sciarid control in pot plants. A wide range of ornamental crops are highly susceptible to damage from thrips, mealybug and sciarid - three challenging pests. To maximize effectiveness, Biobest’s biocontrol strategies target each pest above and, where appropriate, below the soil surface.

“At Biobest we focus on developing effective control strategies, rather than simply products,” explains Davy Luyten, Business Development Director of Biobest. “Our goal is to develop strong programmes by combining well-established biological solutions with new complementary products in our portfolio. Particularly with challenging pests, often a single product is not sufficient. Providing a reliable and complete solution requires taking a broader, multi-product approach.”

For example, for effective control of thrips Biobest’s multi-pronged strategy combines monitoring with control solutions above and below the soil surface. For above ground control, the programme consists of Bug-Scan^® blue in combination with Thripher pheromone, the predatory mites Swirskii-System (Amblyseius swirskii) and Montdorensis-System (Amblyseius montdorensis) with the feed supplement Nutrimite™. Foliar applications of the parasitic nematode Steinernema-System (Steinernema feltiae) are also recommended. The soil-dwelling thrips pupae are targeted in the soil with Hypoaspis-System containing the predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus, the predatory beetle Atheta-System (Atheta coriaria) and the parasitic nematode Steinernema-System.

Do you want to find out more about these effective strategies? Visit Biobest at IPM Essen in Hall 3, booth 3B21.