"A single larva can eat up to 1000 harmful aphids"

The control of aphids in the production of organic crops in Murgiverde SCA, in Andalusia, has been significantly improved after the incorporation of the new Eupeodes System to the existing control strategy.

Generalist predator

Indigenous to Europe, Eupeodes corollae is a generalist predatory hoverfly that feeds on all major aphid species found in horticultural crops.

“Eupeodes has excellent potential for the biological control of aphids due to its high mobility”, explains Antonio Robledo, head of R&D at Biobest Sistemas SL “Adults are excellent fliers, capable of locating colonies of aphids in any part of the crop. The voracious larvae of Eupeodes have an enormous capacity to feed on aphids: a single larva can eat up to 1000 aphids before pupating ”.

Aphids: a great challenge


Hilarión Fernández Cara is an experienced grower in Murgiverde SCA, where he has grown a variety of organic vegetable crops for the past six years.

“One of the main pest control challenges we face is aphids,” says Hilarión. “We grow a variety of organic crops, such as peppers, cucumbers and aubergines, at different times of the year. In the past, I always had trouble controlling Macrosiphum in summer and fall."

Well adapted to the climate


In the past, Hilarion used an aphid control strategy that combined parasitoids and predators. "I've been using the Sphaerophoria-System for two seasons," he explains. "This year the results have been even better with the incorporation of the new Eupeodes-System, which adapts well to our climate."

Hilarion used the Eupeodes-System for the first time on an early organic eggplant crop that suffered from a major Macrosiphum attack. With the help of Eupeodes-System, he achieved good levels of control. "Since Eupeodes-System is giving such good results, we will implement the same strategy in our organic pepper and cucumber crops."

Essential tool

"European producers implementing biological control strategies are beginning to see Eupeodes-System as an essential tool to complement their aphid control strategies," says Antonio.

Biobest, which has already been observed controlling aphids in a variety of protected crops in several European countries, is exploring the potential of the Eupeodes-System to become a powerful weapon in aphid control throughout Europe.

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