Florette Baby Leaf - Pentaflor HortÃcola, Spain
Operations
Any successful integrated pest management programme should monitor for pests and diseases, and target these at the right time, with the best product. This increases efficiency and efficacy of a pest control programme. One of the best ways to monitor insect occurrence is with the use of pheromone traps. The chemically-synthesised pheromones used by the farm are species-specific and are designed to trap a targeted moth species. The traps are checked twice per week by the technicians and if determined threshold levels are exceeded then a spray programme can be implemented which is best suited to the degree and stage identified. Of greater importance is the necessity to do nothing if threshold levels are not exceeded.
The farm has built small fenced compounds on each growing site, each containing a secure storeroom to stock any necessary plant protection products, and a concreted bunded pad in which liquid fertiliser containers are sited. The concrete pad is also used as a filling area for the crop sprayer as this minimises potential risks to the environment, as operator errors can have perceptible consequences for local water quality. Staff receive specific training in the handling and the application of plant protection products via a tractor-mounted sprayer and only trained personnel are authorised to use the sprayer.
Crop growth, disease and pest levels are all widely influenced by climatic conditions. Certain weather conditions can be conducive to disease outbreaks or increased risk of pest attack. These issues can be countered by the use of plant protection products, but there is a cost to their use and the potential to damage the environment. To enable improved control over the growing environment the farm grows around 90% of its produce in greenhouses. These are fitted with automatic sensors to monitor and maintain pre-determined climatic conditions, and local weather conditions are monitored via the use of weather stations on site. The ability to exert some control provides an environment which is favourable to reducing disease and pest incidence, reducing input costs and any risks associated with their use. This policy has enabled the farm to reduce irrigation quantities by 20%.
Crop planting density can be adjusted to varying degrees dependent on several factors. The farm has found that by reducing the seed rates and therefore plant density at specific times of the year, the growing crop suffers less from fungal disease outbreaks, which then requires less fungicide control. Along with the use of pheromone traps this policy has reduced pesticide use by an overall 20%.
The use of greenhouses and mesh enables the farms to grow crops under ideal conditions, optimising the quality of the product and minimising the need for inputs such as water and crop protection products.