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Biobest Nurimite™ provides better biological control on Gerbera

Biobest NV, a leading authority in biological pollination and pest control, has invested substantially in research programs aimed at making more efficient use of natural enemies. With the introduction of Nutrimite™, the food supplement boosts the development of predatory mites in the crop.

Nutrimite™ is a specially selected pollen type with high nutritional value for predatory mites. It is being used in a growing number of crops to “boost” population development of predatory mites. It works in particular, with predatory mites that can feed on pollen. For example, populations of A. Swirskii grow explosively when fed with Nutrimite™ on a two-weekly basis.

For Gerbera growers, the predatory mite A. swirskii often is one of the pillars of the biological strategy to control whitefly. It also helps to control thrips and broad mites, two pests that have become increasingly difficult to control in recent years.

Westmade CV, a Gerbera grower in the Dutch province of North-Brabant, started with Nutrimite™ this year.

He said: "In Gerbera we’ve already had good experience working with A. Swirskii. In view of the excellent results with Nutrimite™ in cucumber, I was really convinced that the combination Swirskii system with Nutrimite™ would work well in Gerbera. We know that A. swirskii can establish in Gerbera and that it predates on larvae of thrips, eggs of whitefly and broad mites. By applying Nutrimite™ on the crop, the predatory mite population develops much faster and better, even in the absence of pest."

"There are several Gerbera varieties in this greenhouse. Everywhere we observe much higher predatory mite densities than ever before. Also, later in the season, when there is a natural decline of predatory mite populations, we expect that this strategy will allow us to keep the upper hand over broad mites and thrips."