A flagship project for A Lighter Touch, partnering with TomatoesNZ to revitalise biological control in greenhouse tomatoes is explored in a new ALT podcast series.

The two-part podcast series delves into how researchers discovered a new biological control agent in the form of a native bug, from which the ALT-TomatoesNZ project team were able to develop a sustainable crop protection programme for two major industry pests, tomato-potato psyllid (TPP)and greenhouse whitefly.

The first episode explains the science of augmentative biocontrol and how it works. It discusses the drivers for the project, with the arrival of TPP in the mid-2000s forcing many growers to rely largely on agrichemicals for pest control. This in turn led to the development of pesticide resistance in whitefly, leaving growers with limited effective control options.

In the second episode experts and growers share insights from the five-year project, including the lessons learned and skills required for growers to adopt an integrated pest management approach. The project’s success has enabled the sector to transition from agrichemical reliance to biological controls.

Listen to the episodes on the podcast page of the A Lighter Touch website. They are also available on Spotify, Apple Music and other podcast platforms via Acast. Both episodes reference grower resources linked on the ALT project page and the TNZ website.

Gina Jewell

Senior Communications Manager | A Lighter Touch |

E: gina.jewell@a-lighter-touch.co.nz