Defending Your Organic Pepper Crops: The Power of Paecilomyces lilacinus Against Nematodes

It is important to keep your organic pepper crops safe against root-knot nematodes if productivity is to be guaranteed. Some chemical nematicides used in the past do not meet the requirements of organic farming and are dangerous to the environment. Fortunately there is a natural biocontrol agent, an entomopathogenic fungus– Purpureocillium lilacinum –meanwhile working against these evil nuisances. Continue reading the article to know more about nematicides for root-knot nematode. 

Information about Root-Knot Nematodes

Root-knot nematodes are parasitic roundworms that infect the roots of plants and engorge themselves causing rooting or the formation of galls or ‘‘knots…’’. These galls interfere with water and nutrient uptake, and so retarded growth, wilting and reduced yields are usual. In pepper plants the infestation can be very destructive especially if it reaches advanced stages and that is why its control is of paramount importance.

Strains of Purpureocillium lilacinum

Purpureocillium lilacinum (Formerly known as Paecilomyces lilacinus) is a naturally occurring biocontrol agent Fungus most famous about its nematicidal efficiency. It feeds mainly on eggs and young stages of nematodes making it a very effective device to check nematode reproduction and further proliferation in the soil. In particular the use of natural enemies as a biological control method contributes to the increased use of environmentally friendly pest management options in agricultural practices that are compatible with organic farming.

Amalgamated Novobac Company is proud to present its new product – Nema Pro and Nema ProMax.

Novobac has harnessed the power of Purpureocillium lilacinum to develop two innovative bio-nematicide products:

• Nema Pro: This organic nematicide essentially contains only spores of P. lilacinum in a highly concentrated solution as a root-knot nematode control. Nema Pro does not have any toxic compound that has a negative impact on the environment and as such can be used with organic pepper production.
• Nema ProMax: A novel bio-nematicide that is produced by utilizing P. lilacinum alone or in conjunction with other beneficial microorganisms to form a clearly superior product that offers improved coverage against several kinds of plant-parasitic nematodes. Nema ProMax improves plant health and soil quality with no chemicals and provides integrated nematode control for the organic farmers.

 Advantages of Nema Pro and Nema ProMax

Effective Nematode Control: Both products act against nematode eggs and juveniles exerting a marked effect on their numbers and keeping root damage to a minimum.

• Enhanced Plant Health: As their name suggests, these bio-nematicides shield roots from nematode damage that can hurt nutrient and water absorption in peppers and decrease plant health and yield.
• Environmentally Friendly: Unlike other chemicals, Nema Pro and Nema ProMax do not have toxic remains in the ground to affect the fertility of the soil and the ecosystem at large.
• Compliance with Organic Standards: They are useful in the organic farming systems since they enable growers to provide for the market needs of organic products.

Application Guidelines

The best practices include using Nema Pro or Nema ProMax to be applied through soil drench or drip irrigation in order to reach the intended target area around the roots. Foliar application should be done at the early planting stage and again, at intermediate intversals of the growing period, to achieve optimal nematode management.

Conclusion

Protecting your organic pepper crops from root-knot nematode infections is crucial to growing healthy plants and good crops. Nema Pro and Nema ProMax, developed by Novobac, delivers effective, environmentally friendly options through the use of Purpureocillium lilacinum treatment, a natural nematicide. Through the use of these bio-nematicides you can easily manage nematode pests without having to compromise organically accepted farming practices.

Care about your pepper crops and the environment by trusting Nema Pro and Nema ProMax – nature’s effective anti-nematode solution.