Raspberry production faces many challenges, including pests. To reduce the use of chemical pesticides, it is essential to find environmentally friendly control methods. Now, researchers at NIBIO are studying how sprinkling with water can reduce the pressure from spider mites.
The two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is a small arachnid that can attack a wide range of plants. It is especially problematic in strawberries, but also poses significant challenges in raspberry production. Both nymphs and adults feed on the leaves, which can lead to wilting, stunted growth, and early leaf drop.
"If you want to get rid of spider mites on raspberries, you either have to use biological control organisms like predatory mites or chemical pesticides," researcher Nina Trandem explains.
"Fewer and fewer chemical agents are available to the growers, and neither they nor the biological control organisms always yield satisfactory results. This is why we need other good alternative methods," she adds.
Read more at Phys.org