Not long ago, the agriculture industry approached biologicals much like they did conventional controls. “A lot of the objectives in the early days of the biological industry was to look at one single component and see how it affected the yield output of a crop,” says Shannon Pike, Business Development Manager at Agrauxine by Lesaffre.
Now the industry understands many factors — some still unknown — work together to protect crops.
“We’re dealing with nature, and nature is very sensitive,” Pike says. “The things that are not seen by us are very, very recognizable to the small elements in nature. Diversity is really the key. Diversity in the soil and the diversity of microorganisms that live on and within the plant is most important.”
To Pike, the best pest control program is holistic.
“Biocontrol products in general will aid the plant’s ability to ward off pests. [Control] products that are also designed for the soil and improving the soil diversity increases the ability of the plant to draw from the soil to help itself. A healthy plant is able to redirect insects and pathogens easily,” Pike says.
Biological products can be incorporated into every stage of production, he says.
“There’s something that can be imported into a protocol for a crop, from prior to seeding all the way to up to harvest time and even afterwards,” Pike says.
For more of this discussion, continue reading the entire article featured as part of our special Global Insight Series report on Biological Crop Protection.