An effective insecticide recommended on a wide range of vegetable, fruit and protected crops, with no maximum number of applications, no harvest interval, no residues and with a unique mode of action is a rare commodity these days, but DiPel DF®, is just such a product, according to Interfarm UK Ltd. They are pointing out to specialist growers of vegetables, soft fruit, protected crops and ornamentals that they should try out DiPel DF, a bioinsecticide produced from the naturally occurring micro-organism Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki, and see just how effective it can be.
"Biological products can be regarded by some growers as a bit quirky and perhaps niche products, but in specialist crops they can offer a highly effective and easy to use solution to the control of damaging caterpillar pests," says Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager for Interfarm (UK).
He explains that DiPel is used in exactly the same way as any other insecticide. "DiPel is a highly selective biological insecticide that acts as a stomach poison on the target Lepidoptera pest. It is applied to the crop as soon as caterpillars are seen, with repeat applications at 7 to 10 day intervals as necessary. The larvae or caterpillars feed on the treated foliage and stop feeding rapidly, dying within 1 to 3 days of ingesting the product. It is applied just like any other product, mixing the recommended dose rate with sufficient water to give good coverage of the target crop."
Recommended dose rates are 0.75 to 1 kgs per hectare in outdoor cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli, with the higher rate for heavy infestation or larvae at more advanced stages, and at 0.75 kgs/ha in outdoor and protected ornamentals and amenity vegetation. In strawberries and raspberries, it is recommended at 75 gms/100 litres and in protected tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers at 100 gms/100 litres."
"Additional benefits of DiPel are that it is biodegradable and leaves no detrimental residues on the crop. Being able to use such an environmentally friendly product will be of interest to growers and certainly will be important to the retailers and end users. DiPel is also ideal for use as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme," says Dr. Stormonth.
He concludes that the efficacy of DiPel DF on young lepidopterous insects is similar to that of conventional insecticides. "In a market where the end produce must be of high quality and of top class visual appearance, DiPel can ensure that the damaging actions of caterpillars is minimised in a clean, green way."
Developed by Valent Biosciences of the US, now part of Sumitomo Chemicals, DiPel DF® contains the naturally-occurring micro-organism Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki formulated as a water dispersible granule. It is recommended as a biological insecticide for the control of caterpillars in vegetables, soft fruit, ornamentals and amenity vegetation. There are no restrictions on the number of treatments that can be applied. It is packed in 0.5 kgs packs.
For further comment and information, please contact Dr. David Stormonth, Technical Manager, Interfarm UK Ltd. on 01354 741414 or 07818 036506 (mobile) or via e-mail david.stormonth@interfarm.co.uk .
