‘Kelps Kick-Out’ dislodger a new tool for insect control: Harvest Agro

Harvest Agro, part of the Wirstchat Group, exclusively revealed, to AgroPages, the launch of Kelps Kick-Out, a dislodger mixed with insecticides for spraying carried out for chemical pest control.

During its field trials, the launch, the high-tech product was seen to release three types of gases, which bother and irritate insects, limit their movement and, consequently, produce greater contact between pests and the insecticide.

In Brazil, annual losses resulting from insect attacks on crops is estimated at 7.7%, or almost 25 million tons of agricultural products, with economic losses totaling $17.7 billion.

According to agronomist Roberto Reis, doctor of plant nutrition at Harvest Agro, some of these villains include the caterpillars, Anticarsia gemmatalis, Spodoptera frugiperda, Elasmopalpus lignosellus and Chrysodeixis includens, which attack not only corn but also soybeans.

“Today, this one of the greatest challenges facing producers, in terms of controlling them using various strategies to guarantee a good harvest,” he said.

Traditionally, chemical control is the most popular method, which in some situations needs to circumvent strategies used by pests to protect themselves.

“For example, the chemical control of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, which is considered the main enemy of corn and one of the major pests in the country, is often difficult when it is lodged or hidden in the bodies of plants, resulting in lower levels of control efficiency,” Reis explained.

“Therefore, it is necessary to use products with a dislodging effect to encourage their movement and leave the place that protects them, such as corn cartridges, leading to greater contact with applied chemicals. Kelps Kick-Out has this effect and is, therefore, another tool available to farmers, to ensure adequate insect control, lower agricultural losses and generate more production,” he said in conclusion.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)