Thrips leave visible signs of damage on plants and can also spread diseases such as the tomato spotted wilt virus and necrotic spot virus.
Vestaron, a developer of insect-control products derived from naturally occurring peptides, recently introduced Spear-T, a bio-insecticide for the control of thrips and whiteflies in ornamentals and vegetables in greenhouses.
Field trials of Spear-T produced results equivalent or superior to conventional chemicals, according to Vestaron. The product is designed to be non-toxic to humans and other mammals, birds, fish, honeybees and other beneficial insects, the company says.
Vestaron says Spear-T has received registrations from both the federal Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Pesticide Regulation.
According to a company spokesperson, Vestaron’s technology is a valuable resource for growers, especially in light of increasing consumer demand for crops and ornamentals grown without the use of traditional insecticides that are toxic to non-targeted organisms.
