Latest mating disruption technology, the most sustainable in the market

The European grapevine moth, vine mealybug, codling moth or the Mediterranean fruit fly are pests that have been causing trouble to producers for decades. How can growers stay productive while adjusting to the recently implemented Sustainable Use Directive? How can they properly meet the market's requirements, which are even more restrictive than the legislation itself when it comes to the maximum residue limits (MRLs) in the final products?

Within this framework, semiochemical-based products, especially pheromones, are becoming an increasingly important tool to achieve a sustainable agriculture and meet the consumer demands. "Semiochemicals are natural substances that insects use to communicate and learn about their environment. We use these compounds to modify the behaviour of insects and keep their populations under control," explains Cristina Alfaro, General Manager of Suterra in Europe. "They are highly specific compounds that affect only the target pest, without any negative impact on the beneficials and, therefore, contributing in maintaining the ecological balance," she adds.

Suterra is the world's leading company in the development and manufacture of products for agricultural pest control based on semiochemicals. The firm belongs to The Wonderful Company, the largest producer of citrus and pistachios in the United States, which also owns brands such as POM for pomegranate juice and Fiji for mineral water, or the Californian wineries Justin and Landmark, among others.

This US company has a based in EU, where they have been present for a decade, and the central office is in Valencia, Spain. Its products are distributed worldwide, in countries like the United States, Chile, Argentina, Italy, France, Spain, Israel, Tunisia, Morocco and South Africa.

CheckMate® Puffer®, the latest mating disruption technology

Suterra has a broad portfolio of products for mating disruption within the CheckMate® range, a brand traditionally associated with passive diffusers. Currently, the company is strongly committed to the development of active pheromone releasing-systems, commonly known as Puffers®.

"This technology provides many advantages over classic dispensers, such as release rates that do not depend on the environmental conditions, or the ability to install them well from offspring with a delayed start to fit on the biological cycle of the pest later on. Furthermore, thanks to the Puffer Service programme, with its refurbishment and recycling system, it ensures the absence of any type of waste in the field. It is enjoying a great reception from the sector, as it helps reduce the amount of labour, given that the number of dispensers needed falls from several hundred to two to five per hectare."

For more information:
Carolina Maset (EU Marketing Manager)
SUTERRA
Plaza América 2, 9ª
46004, Valencia, Spain
T: +34 96 395 67 43
M:+34 647 957 907
carolina.maset@suterra.com
suterra.com