In our controlled supply chains we keep the use of pesticides to an absolute minimum as they are harmful to the environment and to the raw materials that we cultivate. When it comes to corn, in order to protect the plants from being attacked by the European corn borer, we employ an organic method, and we do so from above, with drones.
The first thing we do is create a detailed map of every area in the field in order to program the drone’s flight in such a way that it covers the entire plot of land. At a pace of one hectare every 3-4 minutes, the drone flies over the field dropping biodegradable capsules, each one of which contains approximately 200,000 eggs of insects which prey on the corn borer.
With the high temperatures, the eggs hatch: the predator (Trichogramma Brassicae) penetrates the eggs of the corn borer and eats the larvae, thus eliminating the threat and ensuring the plants’ healthy and complete development.
This is a high-precision operation, which can be completed quickly and at any time, even after irrigation or rain and without stepping on the field. We are extending this practice to an increasing number of farms, both conventional and organic, located in Lombardy and Emilia Romagna in order to promote a more responsible and zero-impact agriculture.