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”.
