No. The regular application rate of the insecticide specified in the approval for a water quantity of 20 or 40 liters of spray broth is used in the combination method. This insecticide quantity is also not distributed over the entire surface, which could actually be problematic in terms of resistance formation. The increased oral uptake with combi-protec leads to a significantly higher effectiveness of the insecticide on the target object, which is also confirmed by the test results. According to American scientists, the risk of resistance for SWD is generally considered to be low. For the active substances from the pyrethroid group, there is a much higher risk of resistance development.

Yes, that is the case. But the rainfall leads to perfect oviposition conditions and to a higher egg production of the SWD. Therefore, the control measures one to two days before rain events get an increased importance, because thus the flies are killed in the crop! Even small populations are able to cause damage under these conditions! If treatment is carried out only after the rain, the maggots will continue to develop since no curatively effective agent are available in every state short before harvest and the infestation will build up. The intervals between treatments must therefore be reduced by 1 – 2 days only in the case of very heavy infestations.
For both bait and full cover sprays, reduced efficacy is to be expected after precipitation. Rainfall of 10- 15 l/m² are sufficient to wash off the spray coatings or bait droplets. This has also been proven in American studies for the products just advertised as “rainproof” (http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/rainfast_characteristics_of_insecticides_on_fruit). In the USA, in SWD control, for all product groups, repeat treatments are recommended after 12.5 l of rainfall!

Contrary to the general recommendation, the treatments before precipitation (24- 48 hours before) are classified by us as very important and recommended!

The application frequency of the insecticides in the combination method with combi-protec corresponds to the application frequency of the combined insecticides. Here, the maximum application rate per hectare and year must be observed. This usually results in the specified application frequencies when the full application rate is used. In practice, these are often exceeded when using lower application rates per hectare and application. Splitting applications of herbicides are an example of this.  But also insecticides are in some cases recommended in this way by the official advice. Even partial area treatments that are applied promptly are generally counted and documented as one treatment.

The composition of combi-protec has been specially designed to avoid attracting bees, bumblebees or other nectar- or honeydew-seeking pollinators. Bee protection is very important to us, and with over 30 years of beekeeping experience, this is understandable. But also scientifically this repeatedly requested point was examined and confirmed. Studies by the State Institute of Apiculture in Hohenheim and Würzburg have carried out field studies, some of which have lasted several years.

combi-protec is residue-free as a product itself. With the low insecticide quantities, approximately 5% of the maximum residue quantity can be expected as residue immediately after application. In most of the studies available to us, the sample values were already below the analysis limit four days after application.

If insecticides that are approved for organic cultivation are used, the procedure is organic. Please observe the requirements of the associations and EU regulations. combi-protec is included in the list of operating materials for organic cultivation.