The use of pheromones in integrated pest management is in evidence in this year's edition of the Bahia Farm Show. World's major agricultural players already use these chemicals, which are naturally produced by insects for communication between them, as an intelligent way to "attract and eliminate" threats to crops.

One of the companies that took their pheromones to present at the Bahia Farm Show 2022 is the biotechnology startup Provivi. The company, founded in 2013 in Los Angeles (United States), already operates in several countries, and in Brazil has partnered with researchers from the MT Foundation, Unesp (Paulista State University) and other institutions.

Provivi's main product is Pherogen ((Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate; Acetate (Z)-11-hexadecenyl). This pheromone is described by the manufacturer as a tool to combat, in a "solid, effective and sustainable way, caterpillars in cotton, corn and soybean plantations".

Alexandre Develey, leader of Provivi in Brazil, explains that the cartridge caterpillar is considered today the main pest of corn crop and, therefore, the fight against this insect pest should be one of the priorities of rural producers.

"The cartridge caterpillar attacks the plant from its emergence to the formation of ears, causing enormous damage to farmers. Pherogen, Provivi's pheromone-based product, directly contributes to biological control in the field, in a cheaper and totally effective way, from renewable raw material", highlights Develey.

According to Areadne Zorzetto, Head of Marketing for the startup in Brazil and Argentina, Provivi's participation in the Bahia Farm Show is another initiative of the company to foster good agricultural practices and its benefits for Brazilian agribusiness and society.

"Provivi constantly wants to understand and solve the main problems in the field, with sustainable and extremely effective products. We are committed to agribusiness advances, in a solid way and in synergy with the environment", he points out.

The Bahia Farm Show 2022 takes place in the city of Luís Eduardo Magalhães between May 31 and June 4. It is the largest agricultural technology fair in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil and has more than 360 exhibiting companies.

Source: Agrolink