First fungicide to be applied to crops using bees

"Bee vectoring is a very efficient way to deliver a PPP to help manage diseases and pests that affect a crop in or around the flower. Application is very targeted, and you need a lot less of the PPP compared to a traditional spray application when only a small percentage of the product actually gets to the flower.”

Vectorite is applied in powder form when the bees leave the hive.

It is currently registered for berry crops, tomatoes, sunflowers and almonds, and Mr Malik says the company plans to look into its use for sclerotinia control in canola (oilseed rape).

Pollination

Treated honeybee hives are rented by growers from beekeepers for the flowering period of the crop for pollination purposes.

At the end of flowering, the beekeeper collects the hives and moves onto the next crop or houses them overwinter.

For bumblebees, growers buy the hives which typically last eight-10 weeks.

Mr Malik adds: “The bees forage every day during the bloom period, and so the PPP is delivered in small amounts every day, as opposed to a spray application when a PPP would be delivered only on the day of the spray, so you have ‘spikes’ as opposed to a steadier delivery.”

Harmless

Vectorite has proven harmless to bees, animals and humans; uses no water or harmful chemicals; and helps to manage fungicide resistance, says Mr Malik.

“Being a biopesticide, CR7 has a complex and physical mode of action that makes it hard for a pathogen to build resistance against it. So CR7 is a useful tool to extend the life of other modes of action when used in rotation or in combination with other classes of fungicides.”

Competitive

Strawberry and blueberry growers in the Southeastern US have been using Vectorite on a test basis for several years.

It has been tested on strawberry and tomato crops in Europe and BVT expects approval in Switzerland within the next year.

Mr Malik says the system is priced to be competitive with a conventional season-long spray programme.