• Rhizoctonia solani

  s cucumeris was long known as Rhizoctonia solani , the vegetative stage. It was long believed to be a sterile fungus, but recently it was discovered that

• New Approach Significantly Reduces Aphids in Soft Fruits

  March 21, 2019

  week. This was started in week two, early on in the first cultivation period. Gall Midges and Parasitic Wasps Although this method worked, it was not quite [...] fruits under artificial lighting in greenhouses in 2016. It was a leap in the dark as there was hardly any knowledge available on growing small fruit crops [...] Aphidoletes aphidimyza René Simons enjoys looking for innovations. In 2016, he was the first grower to cultivate raspberries in a greenhouse under artificial

• How a little predatory mite laid the foundation for biocontrol today

  June 5, 2024

  He was very persistent when it came to the experiments in his cucumber crop and soon neighbour growers and others became curious about what he was doing [...] solution. One that would last for a very long time… ‘Back in the 60s, my father was a cucumber grower battling with persistent spider mite infestations when he [...] research stations in the UK and eventually Switzerland where he found what he was looking for - the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis .’ Back home, he

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

  April 16, 2025

  biological 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 [...] launched a major campaign, and the reputation of Almeria’s growers was at stake. “ There was no other option, ” Kris says. “ We had to change. Either we start [...] explains. “ It was effective and efficient, it really saved agriculture in Almeria. ” The switch wasn’t just about replacing chemicals - it was about a mindset

• Nematodes significantly reduce Tuta larvae

  reduction of Tuta in the crop of more than 80%. The large infestation which was present was reduced and under control, and the application greatly contributed to [...] ‘After this result, we have kept spraying with nematodes every time there was a new wave of small larvae and the problem never grew big after that.’ Reduction [...] Steinernema feltiae in the spring of 2020. The results were good and there was no residue.’ Using nematodes systemically ‘We then started using nematodes

• Nematodes established solution for Nesidiocoris in France

  tomatoes, and seriously disrupts biological equilibrium. SCEA de Fontanel was one of the early Koppert France customers and still is, using many of Koppert’s [...] been practising IPM for as long as it has existed in France. We saw that it was effective. We have used Capsanem on several blocks to regulate the bug and [...] objective of many companies.’ The nematode protection method for Nesidiocoris was eagerly awaited by producers in the South of France, but also, more recently

• What is Biological Control?

  September 15, 2020

  health and the environment. It was in the late sixties that Dutch greenhouse vegetable growers began to realize this was not the way to continue and introduced [...] every crop cycle. This was the start of the Koppert Biological Systems. The first natural enemy The first natural enemy produced was the predatory mite, [...] Biological control is a common practice in agriculture and, for centuries, it was the only way to control pests. Natural enemies were collected from the original

• An unexpected solution: the story of Fernando Rodríguez and Koppert's predatory mites

  February 17, 2025

  my production system," recalls Fernando. It was thanks to Koppert's guidance and technical support that he was able to efficiently implement the use of these [...] in the fields of San Quintín, Baja California, Fernando Rodríguez Borrego was immersed in the world of agriculture. His family, pioneers in strawberry [...] beginning, Fernando committed to a biological control approach. "My goal was always to create an organic and sustainable production system, and Koppert

• No Risks for Employees or for the Environment

  October 22, 2019

  , but this time it was delivered by Koppert as the product Entonem , which was of exceptional quality. And, this time, success was on the cards for Plántulas [...] Steinernema feltiae , which was supplied by an American company. But this supplier didn't provide any advice; technical assistance was lacking, and the results [...] that it was alive, although it turned out that this often wasn't the case. We had no understanding of the supply chain through which the product was delivered

• GreenGuard by Dümmen Orange: For A Sustainable Chain

  November 6, 2018

  beneficials ‘GreenGuard was the result of our collaboration,’ explains biologist Manuela van Leeuwen from Dümmen Orange. Her first job was at chrysanthemum breeder [...] consultant Ellen Klein. But a great deal of work was needed to get these authorizations passed. ‘This was due to the unfamiliarity of the Ugandan government [...] ity a key focus area in its business operations a few years ago. Koppert was contacted to help them achieve this. The two companies first looked at how