Frank Galluccio, Regional Manager for Sumitomo AgroSolutions, has been selling DiPel Biological Insecticide to customers for 30 years. In those 30 years, DiPel’s reputation has transformed in front of his very eyes.
DiPel has been improving crop production for many farmers since its conception in 1971. After 50 years, it continues to effectively and sustainably protect crops from lepidopteran pests. However, some farmers were initially skeptical about using DiPel.
DiPel – A Product Ahead of its Time
According to Frank, many table grape growers in the area seemed reluctant to purchase DiPel because they thought they’d be labeled a ‘Greenie’ given DiPel’s focus on sustainability. One of his customers, a grower from Euston NSW, found that DiPel effectively controlled light brown apple moth (LBAM), yet he would wait until other people had left the store before quietly asking to buy some.
DiPel’s versatility has helped it transcend this original stigma. Many growers mix it with their general cover sprays for powdery mildew, downy mildew, and botrytis, giving them protection against disease and LBAM.
“It is a product that was ahead of its time,” said Frank.
Frank says the most noticeable change from the early years of surreptitious purchases of 500g packs over the counter is that DiPel is now sold in much larger quantities and displayed proudly in the back of many utes.
The Benefits of DiPel
DiPel ensures that pests stop feeding immediately, preventing damage to the crop as soon as possible. It poses no harm to humans, wildlife, or the environment, and, although it targets caterpillar pests, it is non-toxic to pollinators and other beneficial insects. It is an Australian Organic Registered Farm Input, meaning that crops can be used in both organic farming and conventional cropping. Because it has no minimum re-entry period after application, workers are not delayed from returning to the crop.
As Bt insecticide use has continued, DiPel has maintained its effectiveness. Throughout the past five decades, DiPel has provided fast, effective, and natural pest control without posing a threat to beneficial insects, farm workers, and the environment.
Read more about DiPel here.
