Black Vine Weevil

The problem 

The Black Vine Weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) is a dark-coloured weevil beetle that can harm plants by feeding on their roots.

• Soil-dwelling larvae cause extensive damage of ornamental crops through root damage and subsequent wilting
• Medium-size weevils (8.5mm long adults and 11.5mm long larvae)
• Wide host range in ornamental production
• Black vine weevil causes losses of £40 million to UK horticultural industry; and £4 billion worldwide, annually (floraldaily.com)

A changing industry and culture

We are seeing a big change in the way that plant protection products are being utilised and seen. Legislation and environmental concerns are driving change to more biological methods of control.

Laws

Development of public territories with no chemicals (“zero pesticides”), withdrawal of registration of insecticides (bad ecotoxicological or toxicological profile) and a sustainable use directive.

Safety

Increased interest in biological products to lower residues on crops and increase safety for workers and consumer health.

Environmental ethics

Concern for beneficial insects (honeybees) and an interest in overall reduction in chemical use.

Practical benefits

Limit development of pest resistance by introducing new modes of action and biopesticides typically have much lower re-entry intervals (REI).

The Solution

Lalguard M52

• Biological insecticide based on the soil-borne, insect-pathogenic fungus Metarhizum brunneum strain Ma43**
• Control for Black Vine Weevil Larvae (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
• Well-suited as a biopesticide because it does not need to be ingested like virus/bacteria to be effective (infect upon contact)
• They can also exist in nature as saprophytes
• High compatibility with existing plant protection products