• Fungi and Bacteria Deserve Greater Appreciation!

  May 31, 2019

  role in our defence against diseases. Plants are also partly dependent on fungi and bacteria if they are to continue to function well. The roots live in symbiosis [...] ‘members’ are never seen because they are far too small. For example, there are billions of microorganisms living on our skin, and they play a useful role in our [...] help absorb minerals and defend against soil-borne diseases. The plant is also teeming with organisms, inside and out, the function of which is not yet known

• Aphids

  control Learn more about What are aphids? Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that belong to the superfamily Aphidoidea. There are over 4,000 species of [...] in several ways, and the damage can vary depending on the species of aphid and the type of plant being attacked. The following are common signs of aphid [...] aphids Aphids are among the most harmful pests in greenhouse and field crops, causing plant stress, virus transmission and yield loss. Effective aphid control

• Mealybugs and scales

  honeydew. The concealed habit and the protective covering of these insects mean that they are very well protected against natural enemies and also against synthetic [...] which, as well as the white, waxy secretion of the mealybugs, reduces the ornamental value of the affected plants. Fruit and flowers are also fouled, rendering [...] is mainly the great quantity of honey-dew that causes the damage because of the sooty mould that grows on it. Ants are also attracted by the honeydew.

• Tobacco aphid

  although they are also capable of dispersing through the crop by walking. The tobacco aphid tends to form denser colonies, closer to the top of the plant, than [...] brown-black head and thorax and a reddish abdomen. There is a dark brown spot on the abdomen and several transverse black bands across the body. The antennae [...] from the plant and disturb the balance of growth hormones. As a result, the plant’s growth is retarded giving rise to deformed leaves or, if the infestation

• Thrips: a tiny pest with big consequences

  February 2, 2023

  peppers , the western flower thrips causes light brown stripes on the fruit. The onion thrips can also cause deformed fruits. But the leaves are fair game [...] nutrients. The plant tries to repair the damage and produces antibodies against the attackers. All this costs a lot of energy, which comes at the expense [...] Moreover, the excrement of thrips causes black spots, which naturally also affect the ornamental value. In leeks, thrips mainly cause cosmetic damage: the yield

• Sportnem-T

  species. Mode of action The nematodes enter the pest and release symbiotic bacteria into the pest's body cavity. These bacteria convert the host tissue into a [...] leaflet FAQ Nematodes Preparation Remove the sachets from the box and keep them at room temperature for 30 minutes Empty the contents of the sachets into [...] on which nematodes feed, develop, and reproduce inside the host. This kills the pest within a few hours to days after infection. Visual effect Infected

• Cryptolaemus montrouzieri

  species such as the citrus mealybug and the long-tailed mealybug . The predatory beetle Cryptolaemus montrouzieri is used for the control of the following pests: [...] third and fourth in stars are the most voracious, consuming up to 30 mealybugs per day. 226 Beetles and larvae are most active in sunny conditions. Above [...] mealybugs are eaten, such as soft scales or aphids . However, this beetle is most effective in controlling large populations of mealybugs. Once the supply

• Trichoderma harzianum

  Induced resistance: Trichoderma harzianum reinforces the defence mechanism of the parts of the plant above the ground, so-called induced system resistance (ISR) [...] harzianum grows faster on the surface of the root than soil borne pathogenic fungi, which get no change to establish themselves on the roots. Competition for [...] their metabolic processes. Strengthening the plant: Trichoderma harzianum improves the root system through the formation of more root hairs, so that water

• Impatiens thrips

  specifically on the leaves. Eggs are deposited in the leaf tissue, while subsequent stages are found on the upper- and undersides of the leaf. Pupation occurs [...] males and females are dark brown to black in colour with orange pigmentation between the segments, and the dark wings are white at the base. This colouration [...] causing the surrounding tissue to die. The resulting silver-grey patches on leaves and the black dots of their excreta indicate their presence in the crop

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

  April 16, 2025

  innovation that keep growers ahead of the game ’. The crisis that changed everything The turning point came during the 2006-2007 season. Supermarkets across [...] today, but for the future. ” Finding balance At the heart of it all is the idea of balance. “ Health is about balance—within ourselves, in what we eat, and [...] control was only for the high-tech greenhouses in the north of Europe. Not for us. ” But things changed. And Koppert was at the heart of that transformation