Driving the next era of greenhouse crop protection: Biologicals, banker plants and better data
Growers are combining biologicals, habitat plants and targeted chemistries for stronger IPM. Discover key innovations and management approaches.
Key takeaways
- Greenhouse IPM is increasingly built around integrated biological and chemical strategies.
- Growers are emphasizing prevention and resistance management instead of reactive control.
- Protein-based biofungicides represent an emerging category of crop protection technology.
- Digital monitoring tools are improving pest scouting and greenhouse management.
- Habitat plants and banker plants are becoming more important for supporting beneficial insects.
It’s no secret that greenhouse growers are facing increasing pressure from resistant pests, evolving diseases and tighter sustainability expectations. That’s why crop protection programs are becoming more sophisticated and growers are turning towards new and innovative solutions.
The industry’s approach is no longer centered solely on reactive chemical applications. Instead, growers are now building integrated programs that combine biological controls, targeted chemistries, habitat plants, digital monitoring tools and emerging protein-based technologies.
That shift is being driven both by necessity and experience.
“I think that people used to think that thrips were the biggest challenge to control biologically,” said Carol Glenister, entomologist with IPM Laboratories. “Today, the biggest challenge is aphids, but there are questions about the new thrips parvispinus.”
Another thing driving change is the market’s pivot to houseplants and the mealybugs that pair with them.
For many growers, crop protection means more than eliminating pests. The focus has shifted toward long-term prevention, resistance management and building systems that can remain effective even as regulatory pressures and consumer expectations continue to evolve.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS GAIN GROUND
In recent years, biological controls have steadily moved from niche tools to foundational components of many greenhouse IPM programs.
Glenister noted more than half of greenhouse growers now have at least some experience using biological controls. That familiarity is changing expectations across the industry.
“Growers have been gaining confidence in biological controls based on their experiences,” she said. “They understand that biocontrols are preventative, not curative, and have seen the positive results when biocontrol is started early enough to keep the pests down.”
While conventional chemistries still play an important role in managing outbreaks, many growers are becoming more comfortable using biologicals as the first line of defense.
“We all understand that chemistries are essential to address outbreaks, but growers are becoming more skilled at preventing those outbreaks,” Glenister said.
That prevention-first mindset is important as growers continue to battle resistance issues.
“The easiest way to avoid resistance is to minimize chemical use,” Glenister said. “We see time and again whiteflies and thrips lose their chemical resistance when the chemical pressure is taken away.”
She pointed to spinosad-resistant thrips as one example.
“In crops that were not treated with spinosad for several months, the thrips will die off massively the first time that they are treated with spinosad,” Glenister said. “However, there is just one shot available there, because the resistant ones that did not die will create the next generation, which will once again be resistant.”
Similar patterns are occurring with sweet potato whiteflies and imidacloprid resistance. As a result, many growers are refining spray rotations, integrating more biologicals and reducing reliance on single modes of action.
NEW TECHNOLOGIES ENTER THE MARKET
While most growers are improving traditional IPM strategies, companies are developing entirely new categories of crop protection tools to help. One of the more closely watched developments is the emergence of protein-based biocontrols.
Belgium-based Biotalys has developed a protein-based biofungicide platform designed to combine the consistency of conventional chemistry with the environmental profile of biologicals.
The company’s lead product, EVOCA, recently received approval from the EPA and secured its first state registration in Florida.
Carlo Boutton, Biotalys’ chief scientific officer and interim CEO, noted growers increasingly want products that are both effective and predictable.
“Growers are absolutely right to expect both effectiveness and predictability, and that has historically been a challenge with many biological solutions,” Boutton said. “What we are doing differently at Biotalys is leveraging our AGROBODY platform to develop protein-based solutions that are highly targeted with the reliability of conventional chemistries.”
The company’s products are intended to bridge the gap between conventional chemistry and traditional biological controls.
In more than 600 field trials worldwide, EVOCA has demonstrated consistent efficacy against diseases such as Botrytis and powdery mildew, according to company research.
Those diseases remain among the most significant challenges for greenhouse and specialty crop growers.
“Many current spraying protocols are under increasing pressure,” Boutton said. “Growers are dealing with resistance development, tighter residue requirements and the need to meet sustainability expectations from retailers and consumers.”
In his opinion, new modes of action will become increasingly important as resistance pressures continue to intensify.
“Many growers rely heavily on a limited number of fungicide classes, and over time this has led to reduced efficacy due to resistance development,” he said.
The Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) has assigned EVOCA a new mode of action classification, further highlighting the industry’s push toward diversified resistance management strategies.
EDUCATION REMAINS CRITICAL
Even as technology advances, successful greenhouse crop protection still depends heavily on education and observation.
“In some greenhouses, the newer growers are the second or even third generation to be using biological controls,” Glenister said. “Curiosity and careful observation are key to developing an understanding of what is happening with biocontrols.”
Because greenhouse production involves managing living systems, growers often adapt quickly to the rhythms of beneficial insects and pest life cycles.
Still, experienced technical support remains valuable.
“It really helps to have an experienced coach to help set up release programs,” Glenister said. “Many of the biocontrol suppliers give this kind of support.”
At the same time, digital tools are making it easier for growers to scout and identify pests more accurately.
“Today, digital cameras magnify and save images of tiny insects and mites, making it easier than ever to understand our microscopic world,” Glenister said.
Industry observers also point to growing interest in data-driven greenhouse management systems that combine sensors, imaging and environmental monitoring to improve crop health and pest prevention.
predator that eats many pests including aphids, leaf hoppers
and thrips. Photo by Adam Spencer at Applied Bionomics.
an adult and larvae, and even functions well in cold weather.
Photo courtesy of IPM Laboratories.
HABITAT PLANTS AND THE FUTURE OF IPM
Beyond biological releases and new chemistries, growers are also paying more attention to greenhouse ecology itself.
One emerging focus is the use of habitat and insectary plants to support beneficial insects.
For instance, Canadian researchers and growers have introduced several newer biological control species in recent years, including the brown lacewing, Micromus variegatus, and the predatory mite, Anystis baccarum.
At IPM Labs, researchers are exploring how banker plants can provide a foundational food source for corn aphid predators.
“For the future, habitat for beneficials is a big focus of any greenhouse that wants to assure that its beneficials will flourish once introduced,” Glenister said.
Over the years, growers have experimented with insectary plants such as sweet alyssum, marigolds and purple flash peppers. Glenister believes the industry is only beginning to understand the full potential of habitat strategies.
“Experienced growers will key in on new plants that serve as habitat, given the huge variety of plants that they are observing,” she said. “I am excited to see what people uncover next.”
That thinking also aligns with broader sustainability and marketing goals.
“As habitat becomes second nature to growers, they will become better at promoting these insectary plants to their customers to help manage pests in the landscape,” Glenister said.
Meanwhile, companies like Biotalys see future crop protection programs becoming increasingly integrated and precision-driven.
“Over the coming years, we expect precision-targeted solutions like ours to play a growing role as core components of IPM programs rather than niche additions,” Boutton said.
For greenhouse growers, the future of crop protection appears likely to involve a careful balancing act combining biologicals, conventional chemistries, data tools, habitat plants and new technologies into flexible systems capable of adapting to constantly changing pest pressures.
FAQ
What is driving changes in greenhouse crop protection?
Increasing pest resistance, disease pressure and sustainability expectations are driving more integrated IPM programs.
Why are biological controls becoming more common?
Growers have gained confidence through experience and recognize they work best as preventative tools.
What is EVOCA?
EVOCA is a protein-based biofungicide developed by Biotalys that combines characteristics of conventional chemistry and biologicals.
How do banker plants support IPM?
They provide a food source that helps maintain beneficial insect populations.
Why is resistance management important?
Reducing reliance on single modes of action helps preserve product effectiveness over time.
A graduate of the University of Miami, Keith Loria is an award-winning journalist who has been writing for almost 20 years. View his recent writing at keithloria.contently.com.