Bringing Biological Control into HortiPeMS

Biological control has become a core part of pest management for many growers, driven by resistance and a shrinking list of available products. It only works if the rest of the program supports it. Every application leaves residues that might affect the beneficials you released or are planning to release, so product choice, timing, and spray history matter as much as the release itself.

That’s why the biological control module has been added to HortiPeMS, so pesticide applications and beneficial releases are planned together.

A reference library

HortiPeMS now includes a library of beneficial organisms used in greenhouse and horticultural production: predatory mites, predatory bugs, parasitic wasps, beetles, soil-dwelling helpers, and more. For each one, you can see which pests it targets and the conditions it needs to perform well, such as temperature, humidity. That means the information you need is in the same place where you plan and record all your pesticide applications.

Still customizable

Just as in with the regular products, you can add your own biological products to the library. They’re visible only to your company.

Compatibility with crop protection

A beneficial that is perfectly suited to your pest problem is useless if last week’s spray is still active in the crop. HortiPeMS now links beneficials to the types of crop protection products you use, with an indication of how harmful each is and how long its residue stays active. The goal is to make the timing visible. Knowing that a product is harmful matters, but knowing when it becomes safe to release is what lets you plan.

Why is this module added

Integrated pest management is not a choice between pesticides and biologicals. In practice, growers combine both: spot-treating a hotspot, and managing applications & releases carefully. Several features in the new biological control module are ones growers have been asking for.

What else to know

The compatibility ratings in the module are a starting point. They’re compiled from publicly available sources and are meant to guide your decisions, not replace them. Ratings can vary by product, formulation, dose, and crop, so always check the label and your supplier’s current guidance before acting.

Where to find the biological control module?

The Biological control module will show up in the left menu. look for the header “biocontrol” and all functions from our new biological control module will be listed uder it. This module is available for all users of HortiPeMS.