Russell IPM wins an Innovation Award at the Strawberry and Asparagus Fair

The European Asparagus and Strawberry Fair in Baden-Würtemberg is an international annual event that gathers growers, technology and service providers in the production of the respective fruit and vegetables. Typically, about 500 exhibitors and over 6000 visitors attend, representing the agriculture, food and beverage, and outdoor vegetables and soft fruits business sectors.

The Innovation Award benefits companies that own, produce and sell a unique, market-ready product. A model of Russell IPM’s sticky roller traps from the Optiroll Blue range was selected for the award for its innovative feature that has been proven to significantly enhance the effectiveness of this type of chemical-free pest control. The Optiroll Blue Super + roller trap stands out amongst competitors with three unique qualities: a specially selected wavelength of blue colour that specifically attracts the thrips species, a scientifically-developed pattern that targets the western flower thrips, and the actual pheromone of the western flower thrips. Infusing the trap’s adhesive layer with the pheromone further increases the attraction of this insect that otherwise damages strawberries and greenhouse vegetables. The added value to farmers is not only that western flower thrips is effectively managed, but the traps also integrate well with the predators that are essential for thrips control (predatory mites and Orius), as well as bumble bee pollination. Russell IPM’s product has been selected from numerous applications by an independent jury from expoSE and expoDirekt 2016 as one of five innovations.
 

Russell IPM’s Marketing Manager, Elitsa Seymour and Product Manager – Agriculture and Horticulture, Hussein Fawzi, will be demonstrating the Optiroll Blue Super + roller trap and will be available for questions and meetings at Russell IPM’s exhibition stand DM/B-25.