AgTech: Biopesticides Increase Yields In Citrus, Strawberries

Holden, one of the expert presenters at the Biocontrols 2015 Conference & Tradeshow, shares his research on some commercial biopesticides, such as MeloCon WG Biological Nematicide from Certis, which has a pretty broad registration across multiple crops. MeloCon WG contains a naturally occurring fungus, Paecilomyces lilacinus that is a highly effective parasite of all stages of development of common plant-infecting nematodes, especially the eggs and infectious juveniles.

Most of my research on this product has been in citrus, and I researched it for four years prior to its commercial release,he says. We saw bigger increases in trees, and definitely increased production in terms of fruit size development. The nematodes had been sucking the strength out of the trees.

Another product he will discuss is TerraClean 5.0 from Biosafe Systems. Holden used it on a big problem for California strawberry growers, Macrophomina phaseolina, or Charcoal Rot, that has become devastating since the loss of methyl bromide. TerraClean 5.0, which has organic registration, controls a wide variety of soil-borne pathogens through drip irrigation systems.

I will show data collected over the last two years on that pest, he says. We reduced incidence of disease and increased yields by using the product throughout the growing season.

Source : http://www.growingproduce.com/