International award for NZ technology

A lure for thrips, developed at Crop & Food Research in partnership with colleagues from the Netherlands, has attracted an innovation award at an international horticultural exhibition in France.

The Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Pete Hodgson, was shown the lure during a tour of facilities at Crop & Food Research, Lincoln, today.

The product, known as LUREM-TR ®, is a lure which includes a chemical which attracts male and female thrips. It has been proven to work in greenhouses for western flower thrips and onion thrips in both vegetable crops and ornamental crops.

The product is being marketed by the global biocontrol company, Koppert Biological Systems.

The scientist in charge of the project, David Teulon, said the silver medal innovation award was presented to Koppert in the “protection of environment” category by organisers of Sifel 2008 in France.

Sifel 2008 is an international technical exhibition for the French/European fruit and vegetable industry, which will be held early in February in Southern France.

Dr Teulon, says the patented product is an exciting development and represents the culmination of a number of years research.

“It is satisfying to be able to present environmentally-sustainable solutions of this type to the fresh food industry,” he says. “We have worked closely with scientists in the Netherlands to investigate ways to manage this pest which can cause substantial damage in greenhouse crops such as capsicum and aubergine.

“This result represents a true collaboration between northern and southern hemisphere scientists, where science conducted in both countries has contributed to getting the product to market.”

The research included funding from the New Zealand government through the Foundation for Research, Science & Technology and the LNV (the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) research programme for Plant Health.

ENDS

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