"We observed that there was a specific tone that no insects approached"
Source: VFD.com
Biocaptur, a Spanish company specializing in light-based pest control systems, is developing a new technology using light barriers to repel specific insects before they infest crops. After prior sampling to assess pest population levels in the plots, the team placed various lighting devices directly on specific crop rows, illuminating the plants overnight to monitor insect behavior.
"This system, which is designed to cover bands measuring 80 to 100 meters, will enable complete perimeter fencing of the greenhouse to block pests from entering," Tortosa stated. "If we succeed in preventing the insect from entering the greenhouse, we also stop it from spreading viruses that could later force us to uproot the crops," he said.
The incinerator module has already been tested and will soon be available for the first commercial trials and for purchase by growers." Biocaptur's new solutions are especially relevant now, as many horticultural farms struggle to manage pests with traditional chemical methods, particularly in intensive greenhouse crops where biological pressure persists almost year-round. "We have already assisted growers worldwide in controlling Tuta absoluta without chemicals, and now we also provide an ecological, convenient, and effective solution for managing thrips," Tortosa concluded.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
