Suterra and Phytech Partner for Crop Production and Protection Solution
October 29, 2021 Suterra, a producer of sustainable pheromone pest control, and Phytech have partnered to deliver a comprehensive solution to help growers optimize irrigation, nutrition, and pest control.
The agreement adds Suterra’s Puffer aerosol pheromone mating disruption products to Phytech’s digital farming platform with integrated plant health and irrigation IoT monitor and control service.
Suterra has enjoyed longstanding and valued distribution partnerships with hundreds of agrichemical retailers nationwide and internationally. The company is expanding its partnership strategy to include proven global precision ag providers. Suterra vetted the best providers in the world to create new product-focused partnerships that deliver exceptional value to growers.
“We have seen the adoption of Phytech’s farming platform with its unique in-field monitor and control capabilities by leading growers all across our key markets,” Carlos Bassa, Senior Director and Head of North America at Suterra, said. “This new product-focused partnership with Phytech is built to ensure we encourage further adoption of mating disruption in a way that will meet the needs of the growers as they advance their operation towards a more digital future.”
Oren Kind, Phytech’s CCO and U.S. General Manager, added: “We’re very happy to partner with a world-leading and innovative company such as Suterra and create even more value for our growers. The Puffer is the most trusted solution for aerosol mating disruption, used on more acres than any other brand of pheromone in the U.S. We’re excited to make it accessible and hassle free for growers through our service.”
In addition to adding pest control, Phytech is expanding its platform features to include granular climate monitoring of temperature and humidity per block. “This is a natural step in realizing our vision to bring growers the most complete and cost-effective platform to help them manage and optimize their farm horticulture,” Kind said.
Suterra’s new partnership aligns with its strategy to encourage further adoption of proven mating disruption strategies throughout California. Mating disruption is an effective, sustainable pest control solution that works by releasing naturally occurring sex pheromones in an orchard to reduce adult males’ ability to find females. This disrupts the mating cycle, suppresses pest populations and damage, and helps address insecticide resistance without harming beneficial insects.
Puffer aerosol mating disruption reduces the population of economically damaging pests including navel orangeworm, codling moth, and oriental fruit moth. The three pests are especially problematic for permanent orchard crops, such as almonds, pistachios, peaches, nectarines, apricots, apples, pears, walnuts, figs, and pomegranates.
As part of an integrated pest management program, Suterra has proven its mating disruption products can significantly reduce damage. Puffer products are used on more than 400,000 acres in California, making them the most popular and most trusted aerosol mating disruption solution in the world.