Pest & Disease Management

Biological controls help combat pest and disease

According to Beyond Pesticides, a well-defined Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program “is a program that should be based on prevention, monitoring, and control which offers the opportunity to eliminate or drastically reduce the use of pesticides, and to minimize the toxicity of and exposure to any products which are used. IPM does this by utilizing a variety of methods and techniques, including cultural, biological and structural strategies to control a multitude of pest problems.”

BVT is a part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program

BVT addresses both pests and disease with its patent-pending biological control, BVT-CR7. By using the BVT system in an IPM program, the result is a healthier crop. With stronger plants come higher yields.

How pests affect plants

Insects feed on leaves and fruits, creating early decay that affects the quality and appearance of the crop. Their effects also lead to an increase in plant disease. For example, mites will bite a berry, which creates a new entry point for botrytis. Pests also lay eggs on and inside fruit, which causes rot.

How fungal diseases affect plants

Watch the video to learn how Botrytis works, a major disease affecting berry crops.

Clonostachys as a biological control

Learn more about how the BVT fungus Clonostachys controls Botrytis in berry crops.

For more information on pests and diseases that affect a particular crop, visit each crop page:

• Strawberries
• Sunflowers
• Apples
• Tomatoes
• Canola
• Blueberries
• Other Crops