Yearly Archives: 2014




Farmcare Ltd (Blairgowrie, Scotland)

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Farmcare Ltd’s Blairgowrie farm is specialized in the production of soft fruits. Mark Hilditch is its technical manager. He started to use FresaProtect in 2012. The trial he did gave good results and he extended the surface protected by FresaProtect each year to reach 12 ha in 2014. “The key for a successful aphid control is to introduce FresaProtect in a preventive way” says Mark. “In this condition, FresaProtect really gives an excellent control of the aphids. The mix of several parasitoid species allows keeping every aphid species under control. The use of FresaProtect also allows me to avoid using insecticides against aphids which preserves the other introduced beneficials (the predatory mites for instance) and increases the presence of naturally occurring natural enemies (hoverfly larvae, lacewings…) resulting in a very good global pest control. I am really pleased with the results of FreasaProtect and I will continue to use it in the future.” concludes Mark.




BerryProtect on Raspberries in Finland

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Mr. Jari Vilppula grows Raspberries on 2 ha under plastic tunnels in Asikkala (Finland). “My father started strawberry farming in 1972, and nowadays the farm has passed on to my brother and me. We have specialized in growing strawberries and raspberries. The freshness and the quality control throughout the whole chain of production, from the field to the consumer, is the most important thing to us”, states Mr. Vilppula.
In order to insure the sustainability of his production, Mr. Vilppula opted for an integrated pest management strategy. For the control of aphids, he uses BerryProtect. Jari explains: “BerryProtect is an excellent solution for aphid control in raspberries. It controls all the aphid species found on the farm. Because the canopy of the crop can be very dense, it is very difficult to spray with an insecticide. On the contrary, the parasitic wasps can reach the aphids on any part of the plant. Using parasitoids for aphid control, hence not using insecticide, also allows me to safely use other beneficials for other pests improving the global biological equilibrium in the crop. Furthermore, with BerryProtect, residues and harvest interval are no longer a concern.  No doubt that BerryProtect will become the base of my aphid control strategy.”


BIOLOGICAL CROP PROTECTION AGAINST APHIDS AT AMIKOS BV

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Amikos BV, based in Bergschenhoek (South Holland, Netherlands), specialises in the production of sweet peppers and mini cucumbers. In its 4-hectare glasshouse, production is organised according to the principles of integrated crop protection and the use of chemicals is strictly confined to local interventions in a few places where biological control is insufficient. “To control aphids, we use VerdaProtect,” says Khira Shanta, crop manager at Amikos BV. “The mix of beneficial insects is highly effective at controlling all of the species of aphid we come across in our glasshouses. Used preventively, it keeps aphids permanently below the damage threshold and fruits are twice as clean: free of honeydew and free of chemical insecticide residues. It is clear that we will continue to use VerdaProtect in the future.”



Southesk Farm (Scotland)

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Southesk Farm is a soft fruit farm situated in Brechin (Scotland), growing strawberries and blueberries for the Angus Growers group. It applies the principles of IPM (integrated pest management) to all its crops. Crop production manager James Grantham uses BerryProtect to control aphids in the blueberries. “The mix of parasitoids is very efficient at controlling aphids in the blueberries,” says James. “There are only a few insecticides available for blueberries. Especially at the end of the season, when the canopy is extremely dense, it is difficult to spray all of the leaves with insecticides. In these conditions, parasitic wasps are the only way to reach all the aphids. By reducing the need for chemical insecticides, BerryProtect also preserves the other beneficials active in the crop. The product is easy to use and, with some precautions, can be easily combined with conventional products. And, of course, BerryProtect leaves no residue”. James concludes: “A useful product within an IPM programme in blueberries”.