Beneficial nematodes to control pests in outdoor crops

Beneficial nematodes to control pests in outdoor crops

Control pests with beneficial nematodes

While plant parasitic nematodes are a common soil pest that affect plants, entomopathogenic nematodes play an important role in the biological control of many pests. Even more for pests that are difficult to control and when chemicals fail or are simply not available anymore.

These beneficial nematodes are resuspended in water and dispersed over the crop by using spraying/irrigation systems most commonly used in agriculture. But… you are not spraying a conventional pesticide, you are spraying a solution full of life!

Using beneficial nematodes in fruit orchards

The incorporation of beneficial nematodes into fruit orchards has yielded great results, transforming the way growers manage pest infestations and enhancing the overall health of the orchard ecosystem. Trials conducted across various regions have showcased the efficacy of these microscopic worms in controlling a wide spectrum of harmful pests, such as codling moth, oriental fruit moth, summer fruit tortrix, and peach twig borer. Growers report impressive outcomes, with reduced pesticide dependency, minimized crop damage, and increased yields.

5 reasons to use beneficial nematodes

  • Fast-acting biological solution
  • Resistance proof - pests cannot build resistance
  • Can be applied with regular spray equipment
  • Compatible with most pesticides
  • Leaves no residue

Which pests do nematodes control?

Beneficial nematodes can be used to tackle a broad spectrum of pests in top and stone fruits, like apples and peaches, potatoes, and outdoor vegetables as onions, asparagus, and beans. Caterpillars from the oriental fruit moth or codling moth, wireworms, root flies or thrips, they are a festive meal for our nematodes.

For an overview of the pests that can be controlled with beneficial nematodes in your particular crop, download the target overview:

Our beneficial nematodes solutions

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How do nematodes work?

After application, the nematodes set out in search of their prey by actually hunting or ambushing prey insect. Once they have found a host insect, they penetrate its natural body openings. The nematodes then release pathogenic bacteria they carry with them. These actions kill and liquify the insect from the inside. The nematodes feed on the digested tissues of the dead insect and reproduce in large numbers. The pest insect stops feeding soon after being infested, and dies within a few days.

Application of nematodes

Beneficial nematodes should be applied with water. Once resuspended in water, the nematode suspension can be dispersed using spraying/irrigation systems most commonly used in agriculture: airblast sprayer, boom sprayer and others. They can also be dispersed via drip irrigation systems and be injected through a Dosatron venturi injector. As nematodes are a biological solution, thus alive, it is important to create the best circumstances for them to be effective.

Easy to combine with other crop protection products

Beneficial nematodes are compatible with a lot of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and even nematicides, meaning they don't lose their efficacy, when used complementary to chemical solutions. To be sure if the product you intend to use is not harmful to our nematode products check the side effect database. You only have to fill in the name of the nematode species, and the database immediately shows which crop protection products are harmful to that particular nematode.

Customer experiences

Hundreds of farmers already preceeded you, with a significant lower pest pressure in their crop. Read/Watch their success stories here.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Committed to find the right solutions

To make our world more sustainable, we need ways of growing that are both safe and healthy. We believe the answers to these agricultural challenges lie in nature itself. So we partner with nature. And strive for a healthy future. Growing a resilient crop takes expert knowledge and a great deal of experience. Growing in a sustainable manner with respect for our future generations makes it even more challenging.

Koppert is committed to help you find the right solutions. We are a family business and the global market leader in developing sustainable solutions against diseases and pests. We use natural enemies to combat pests, bumblebees for pollination, microbials, and biostimulants that support, protect, and strengthen crops both above and underground. We were founded in 1967 by Jan Koppert, a Dutch grower with a clear vision; the world needed an alternative for chemical pesticides. He was the first to introduce a natural enemy to combat spider mite in horticulture. In doing so, he laid the foundation for today’s Koppert. Now Koppert’s third generation is introducing this valuable legacy of knowledge and experience to the field of Agriculture.

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