Fargro unveils two biopesticides

Fargro has introduced two new biopesticide products to the UK market for the treatment of pests and diseases such as black vine weevil and Phytophthora on a range of crops.

More than 80 industry professionals attended an event at the Wellesbourne Centre for the launch of granular bioinsecticide Met52 and biological fungicide Prestop.

Met52, developed by Novozymes, contains the naturally-occurring Metarhizium fungi. It is registered for vine weevil control in protected and outdoor soft fruit and ornamentals, containers and open ground, with the possibility of extended use for the treatment of soil-dwelling pests such as sciarid fly and pine weevil larvae in forestry.

Finnish company Verdera developed Prestop. The fungicide is based on a unique strain of natural Gliocladium catenulatum fungi found in a Finnish field in 1989.

It is registered for moderate control of gummy stem blight, grey mould, damping-off and root diseases caused by Pythium, Phytophthora, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium.

Fargro managing director Dr Paul Sopp said: "Fargro has had a focus on biopesticides for the past three years and it is now the leading marketing company for biopesticides in the UK."

He continued: "Two years ago we introduced Serenade at a similar event at Wellesbourne, a year ago we were involved in the launch of Naturalis-L and now a further 12 months on we have introduced two new products."

He said the use of biopesticides will become an essential component of crop protection programmes due to the forthcoming EU Sustainable Use Directive.

"These products have been through the rigours of the registration process, just like conventional chemical products, so growers can be confident of their reliability and claims," he added.

"They give growers biological alternatives to conventional chemical products and an ability to integrate with the conventional biological controls, predators and parasites on a range of crops."