The American company Certis Biologicals announced on the last day of January the launch of MeloCon® LC, a water-dispersible concentrate containing spores of a natural soil fungus that controls a wide variety of harmful nematodes at each stage of the life cycle. Its active ingredient is Purpureocilium lilacinum strain 251.
Plant parasitic nematodes, an invisible threat facing U.S. growers in increasing numbers, can cause significant damage to the roots of a variety of crops, weakening overall plant health and lowering crop yields.
MeloCon® LC's liquid concentrate formulation provides a variety of benefits to both organic and conventional growers, providing greater convenience in storage, handling and tank mixing, and greater application flexibility.
“Escuchamos a los productores cuando dijeron que necesitaban un producto sostenible que pudiera aplicarse en varios momentos durante la temporada de crecimiento e incluso varias veces para proteger los acres que trabajan el doble con doble cultivo”, dice Chris Judd, vicepresidente global de Márketing. “MeloCon® LC está probado y es efectivo al mismo tiempo que brinda más flexibilidad en el manejo y las aplicaciones, lo que lo convierte en una herramienta poderosa para las estrategias de MIP, que contribuyen a aumentar el rendimiento y la salud general de las raíces y el suelo”.
MeloCon® LC is labeled for use in all states except California, with registration pending, and Puerto Rico. The new formulation will be most beneficial for growers of potato, sweet potato, carrot, asparagus, garlic, onion, strawberry, watermelon, cantaloupes, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, squash and permanent crops such as berries, citrus, tree nuts and tree fruit.
“Nematodes are found in almost all soils. Some are worse than others, but once established in the field, nematodes are difficult to eradicate and must be managed,” says Karla Medina, Ph.D., Field Development Manager. “Plant parasitic nematodes lurk under the soil, which makes them a hidden danger and a major threat to the overall health and resilience of plants’ root systems to withstand threat by other pests and diseases.”
“Devising an integrated nematode management program in agricultural systems will prevent major losses to yield, and MeloCon® LC is an ideal tool to control damage done by nematodes as part of an integrated program,” she says. “Because plant parasitic nematodes affect the plant’s overall health, if soils are not managed to control nematodes, they can reduce your crops’ ability to produce year after year.”
