AGRICULTURE Applying decades of biological know-how to agriculture While Koppert has earned its spurs in the biological control of pests and diseases in horticulture, the company is playing an increasingly important role in providing sustainable solutions for outdoor agriculture. Since 2011, this division has undergone exponential growth due to the demand for safe and secure food crops by retailers, consumers, NGOs, and farmers themselves. We can now invest more than five decades of accumulated knowledge in the development and application of beneficial insects, microbiological solutions and biostimulants to benefit a growing range of outdoor crops worldwide. As public censure, retailers’ demands and legislators shorten the list of chemical agents permitted for use in agriculture, and as the plant’s own resistance grows to pesticides, so the need for sustainable alternatives continues to rise. Koppert has responded to this growing market by investing heavily in its Research & Development Department to come up with effective and applicable solutions for pests and diseases in outdoor vegetables, fruit and other food and cash crops such as soya beans, sugar cane, rice and cotton. Crop trials in outdoor applications of a number biological solutions show that both macro- and microorganisms, as well as biostimulants developed for the agricultural market, not only control pests, but fight stress and diseases in plants to make them more resilient and productive. Having turned its attention to agriculture, the company is using its knowledge of rearing beneficial insects, and other biological solutions to stimulate innovation in the outdoor crop field with the development of accurate aerial and ground dispersal mechanisms for biological products over large areas. Digital apps such as mobile scouting with image recognition also offer solutions to farmers who wish to solve their problems online in a growing number of ways. Our sustainable innovations aim to reach farmers worldwide. 21
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