Insects and small creatures such as mites or aphids ravage the vine. To deal with this problem, there is no need to use pesticides if “ crop auxiliaries ” are present! And yes, we explain everything to you ;-)
The role of crop auxiliaries
Crop auxiliaries are animals, microorganisms or insects - call them what you like - that feed on pests or weeds. These little allies make it possible to enhance biodiversity , to create an environment more favorable to agriculture and to help in a natural way, by eating the aphids, the larvae which could be harmful for the ecosystem of the vineyards. The mission of these auxiliaries is to reduce and then maintain the number of pests, so that their impact is tolerable and less harmful on the vine. They are sort of super heroes!
The different species of auxiliaries
Crop auxiliaries are present at different levels, both under and on soils and crops. They are mostly insects and insect- eating mites (it almost feels like a horror movie). We find in the ground the earthenware which stirs, fragments the organic matter, and which plays a role in the infiltration of water into the ground . Incredible isn't it? On the ground, it is the beetle, an insect of the beetle family, which is all the rage: it feeds on mites, snail eggs, young slugs, aphids... And on the crops we find ladybugs, lacewings, predatory mites, wasps, parasitoids, hoverflies, honey bees and wild pollinators. It makes beautiful people. And it is thanks to them that the ecosystem of the vine works!
Create a favorable environment
You are probably wondering how to get helpers? Well, first, you have to set up a habitat where they can find refuge and food. For viticulture, it suffices to create ecotones (transition zones between two ecosystems) which can be hedges, dry stone walls, embankments, trees, etc. In addition to developing an environment for auxiliaries, they protect endangered species that are threatened.
Did you know about crop auxiliaries? Open your eyes wide during your next walks in the vineyards or in the countryside, you will be able to observe them;)
