By Curt Nelson, Regional Manager, CA San Joaquin Valley, Certis Biologicals
As growers and producers, we know that how we grow matters as much as what we harvest. In the past few years, we’ve seen our end-use consumers grow more interested than ever in the responsible and sustainable practices that go into creating their healthy snacks, like the almonds, pistachios and walnuts that we grow here in California.
At Certis Biologicals, we believe that biologicals are the key to meeting the needs of an aware and involved consumer. Biologicals are from nature. They are derived from naturally-occurring substances and microorganisms, meaning that they work alongside the wonders of nature to provide a healthier crop for you, year after year.
Because they are from nature, bio-based crop protection products can yield some surprising benefits to your orchards and your operations.
For one, we know that your trees are reliant upon bees for pollination each year. Doing anything that can be harmful to bees and other beneficials can have a serious impact on the welfare of your crop.
Because the active ingredients in biological pest control options are highly-targeted, they pose very little threat to beneficial species, like bees. Biologicals boast highly specific modes of action, meaning they disrupt the lifecycle or reproductive cycle of target pests only.
For example, our Bt biolarvicide products, which are based on the beneficial bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, produce insecticidal proteins that narrowly target the cellular lining of the larval midgut, but only after activation by the alkaline conditions and enzymes specific to the caterpillar gut.
That’s a very specific set of circumstances that limit these products to target and kill only caterpillars. Many other Certis Biologicals products carry the same level of specificity to their active ingredient, making them less risky to beneficial species, including bees.
In addition, the majority of the products in our portfolio are free from toxic residue that can be left on the plant for a bee or other insect to ingest.
Because of this, when applying biologicals, you can be certain that the beneficials you rely on will not be harmed.
And because biologicals leave no toxic residue on plants or in soil, you can be sure that you are protecting the environment and the safety of your farmworkers as well. Because protecting the future of your farms and agriculture is important to us all.
If you have questions about biologicals and beneficials or sustainability, please reach out to us at asktheexpert@certisbio.com.
This series is part of a partnership with Tree Nut Farm Press. You can read the original here.
