Seek and destroy: bio-soldiers for healthy crops

Bio-controls are an increasingly favoured method of dealing with crop pests as they provide a long-term solution to farmers that does not negatively impact market access. Lindi Botha reports on how bio-controls should be approached for maximum success.

- Lindi Botha

The serenity and calm of the Mahela citrus orchard in Letsitele, Limpopo, at dawn belies the full-scale war that is taking place on the farm. Among the branches of this lush and verdant orchard, a silent fight for survival is unfolding as armies of predatory insects stand primed to sniff out their prey, invade and kill their adversaries. Behold nature’s avengers: guardians of the harvest, maintainers of the natural balance and those that ensure farms will keep producing for years to come.

Eddie Vorster, director of Mahela, is one of a growing group of farmers turning to biocontrols to ward off pests in their orchards. These predatory insects, parasites and beneficial microorganisms come without the detrimental effects on eco-systems that result from using synthetic chemical pesticides. Furthermore, farmers are able to comply with food safety regulations while protecting their crops, since these natural solutions don’t leave chemical residues that could keep the produce out of the market.

A PEST-SPECIFIC SOLUTION 

Bio-controls also appeal to farmers wanting to maintain biodiversity to extract the full benefit of an eco-system in harmony. Since the biocontrols are pest-specific, farmers don’t risk wiping out other insects on the farm as they would when using chemical pesticides. An added benefit is that bio-controls offer another tool to combat pests so that solutions can be alternated, thereby eliminating resistance build-up.

Bio-control uptake has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years. According to research conducted by AGNews, the global bio-control market is estimated to be worth US$5 billion, with an annual growth trajectory of 17%. The US and Europe represent over 65% of the bio-controls market, while Latin America has the fastest growth rate.