Bees Can Apply Biological Fungicide

Tim Hammerich

News Reporter

Bloom time for a crop like almonds is critical for establishing the crop, but also a susceptible time for diseases to enter the trees. Bee Vector Technology has a biological active ingredient that is effective against many of these diseases, and their system is unique. They allow the bees themselves to deliver the application directly to the bloom. Here’s sales manager Ian Collinson.

Collinson… “For almonds, I think specifically it's monilinia is their main disease, and that's something that we're actively protecting against. For us, almonds is a perfect fit. They're already bringing in lots of beehives for pollination. They have a disease that our Clonostachys can prevent against in their field. And it's a high value crop. It's definitely a lot of input to keep them protected.”

The system is completely bee safe. The company has been working with berries for years, and entered the California market for the first time this year.

Collinson… “We're really excited just to be entering into the California market. It's been a long road to eventually get here where we are now, where we're able to sell. And we are already working this year with a bunch of growers in different crops to hit the ground running, and get some trials done, and get our product out there.”

The company makes initial contact with the grower, then once the decision is made to move forward, they will work with the beekeeper to implement the system. You can learn more at their website: www.beevt.com.