No, we're not talking about the German flower show - we're of course talking about integrated pest management. What to apply, when to apply, how to apply - there's constant development in the industry. Here's 10 inspiring stories from 2023.

Scott Hodgins, Plant Products:

"Bringing your pest and disease questions to us is like going to see your family doctor"

"Being owned by a company that produces beneficial insects and also partnering with bio- and synthetic pesticide companies as well as fertilizer companies and other suppliers makes us the only greenhouse and ornamental distributor that truly offers wholistic IPM solutions rather than single products," says Scott Hodgins, Director of Marketing and Business Development at Plant Products – A member of Biobest Group.

A 'soft landing' for beneficials with automatic dispenser

A request from a Canadian strawberry grower is behind the development of a new automatic dispenser for beneficial insects, recently introduced to the general public. The Entomatic, seen on display at Strawberry Day and IPM trade show, was developed by Biobest and HortiWorld and is available exclusively from Biobest.

“Rather than looking for new candidates to eliminate Parvispinus, we have developed a strategy that is yielding results”

In 2005-2006, there was a big problem in Almeria with the control of Frankinela in bell pepper crops. "Some growers, desperate because they could not find any way to combat it, because it had developed resistance to every authorized active material, began to use unauthorized products," said Ana Arevalo from Agrobío's development department. "There was a big alert in Europe that caused the export of peppers from Almeria to be brought to an almost complete halt. It was a turning point for biological control; in fact, in just one year, 90% of growers had switched to the use of beneficial insects."

Effective monitoring and scouting are the first steps to successful biological control strategies

Sticky traps inform decision making in tomatoes

“Access to accurate pest data enables growers and advisers to make informed decisions - to design appropriate preventative or curative control strategies and set appropriate introduction rates for beneficials,” says IPM and Pollination Specialist - Arno Hellemons.

Belgian strawberry grower captivates European Parliament with IPM approach

As an advocate of integrated pest management (IPM), Ipmworks received an invitation to the public hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on May 23, 2023. The event served as a platform for Ipmworks to present its initiatives to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) amid ongoing debates around the European regulation on the use of crop protection products. The Flanders Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research reports below.

400% price increase and 90% production loss

Tuta absoluta destroys tomato crops in Nigeria

Nigerian tomato growers are currently navigating quite troubled waters as the tomato crops across the country are getting ravaged by a Tuta absoluta infestation. National tomato production is indeed suffering a 90% loss, with prices skyrocketing in every state. "Prices for a basket of fresh tomatoes used to be for around 10-20 cents, now it's for 3-5 dollars," says Mr. Abiola Oladigbolu, Head of the Biopesticide Center at the National Horticultural Research Institute. But how did it get to this point?

Scouts and IPM managers dive in digital IPM

"With the wave of new technology and knowledge consistently coming to market, it is important for growers and managers to keep polishing their skills, and to learn about new possibilities", Saber Miresmailli, CEO with Ecoation believes, which is why the company organised a professional development and retraining workshop at Kingsville Horticulture Technology Center and Academy Horteca. 35 participants took place and dove into new technologies.

New Crop-Scanner offers improved scouting and advice

Biobest's Crop-Scanner platform helps growers quickly and accurately scout their crops. That will significantly improve their IPM strategy. Growers and their Biobest advisors can use the app and web dashboard to monitor pests and diseases and determine crop trends remotely. Also, accurate data collection and visualization give insights that help plan for upcoming seasons.

This smart, data-driven tool widely supports organic crop protection, from pest identification, reporting, and advice exchange to timely and planned intervention. The application works on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs and is available for iOS and Android.

New Zealand: Takeaways from whitefly IPM workshop

Growers gathered online and in person at this popular workshop on managing whitefly in greenhouse tomatoes using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. Ahead of the prime season for whitefly infestation, Seth Laarakkers described the fundamentals of an IPM approach and finished by sharing the progress of the TomatoesNZ and A Lighter Touch trials on new native predators, which, in theory, should help keep whitefly under control while they hunt for Psyllid.

"ZeroTol 2.0 can help growers get the most out of their IPM programs"

ZeroTol® 2.0 by BioSafe Systems is a broad-spectrum algaecide/bactericide/fungicide that was also the company’s first product when it began in 1998.

OMRI-Listed ZeroTol 2.0 is a broad-spectrum contact oxidizer of fungal, bacterial, and algal spores and cells. It controls numerous pathogens and pests, including algae, anthracnose, Botrytis, Pythium, Fusarium, Xanthomonas, bacterial spots and rots, and many more.

Two-acre research facility realized in Ruthven, Ontario

A branch of JEM Farms, HORTECA is a new two-acre research facility dedicated to showcasing the latest green technologies in joint ventures with ecoation, including advancements in integrated pest management (IPM) to robotics and AI. The partnership also involves the University of Windsor providing a multitude of research opportunities.

Two-acre research facility realized in Ruthven, Ontario