Biobest’s Swirskii-Long-Life-System has just got an upgrade due to its improved sachet formulation. The number of predatory Amblyseius (Typholodromips) swirskii mites per Long-Life sachet has been boosted from 150 to 250.
“Widely used as a key beneficial in sweet pepper, cucumber, aubergine, strawberry and some ornamental crops, this gluttonous predatory mite prefers young stages of whitefly and thrips – consuming 5-10 prey a day,” explains Hanne Steel, Biobest Product Manager.
“Compared to the regular Swirskii-Breeding-System, our Swirskii-Long-Life-System releases more mites in to the crop. While release starts off more slowly, after eight weeks each Swirskii-Long-Life-System sachet releases 40% more predatory mites compared to regular sachets - up to 2500 mites in total.”
“In order to promote fast population growth, these hungry mites need a satisfactory food source. The Long-Life-System is therefore ideally suited to situations where there is low pest pressure in crops without pollen, such as winter cucumber.
“The Swirskii-Long-Life-System is more cost effective as there is no need for a second introduction of sachets – saving growers money in regard to product and labour.”
Biobest Belgium NV