Martin brothers: Organic growers get insect pressure under control

MARCH 2021

In the Ejido region of Almería, Spain, the Martín brothers faced persistent pest pressure in their organic zucchini and Palermo pepper greenhouses. Common pests such as aphids, thrips, whiteflies and red spider mites made traditional pest control difficult, especially in organic production systems.

After being introduced to Svensson’s Xsect Xtra insect exclusion mesh by a local consultant and technical advisor, the growers decided to try the mesh on one of their greenhouses. They were impressed when they looked at it under a microscope and saw that thrips could not penetrate the fine weave

Since installing the Xsect Xtra mesh, the Martín brothers have seen a significant reduction in pest pressure. The mesh helped exclude harmful insects, increasing the likelihood of successful crop cycles and lowering the need for plant protection treatments and supplemental beneficial insects.

In zucchini production, they noted more plants reached full maturity compared with previous seasons, largely because whiteflies and the virus they transmit were kept out. The reduced entry of aphids also helped beneficial insects maintain control. In Palermo peppers, Xsect Xtra provided strong protection against thrips and other pests, reducing viral issues such as tomato spotted wilt virus and sooty mould associated with aphids.

The growers reported that with better pest control, they were able to focus on other aspects of greenhouse management. They are now planning infrastructure improvements, such as adding windows for improved airflow and better humidity control, based on the benefits they have seen with the mesh.

One grower summarised his experience by comparing recent harvests with past years: previously he harvested less than five kilograms of zucchini in a 7 000 m² greenhouse due to pest-related issues. With Xsect Xtra, he harvested more than eight kilograms in a short production cycle without viral incidence.