About agricultural pest control
Protecting crops from insect pests across the growing cycle
The impact of insect pests on crop production
Insect pests remain a persistent constraint on agricultural production. From field cultivation through to storage, these pests reduce both yield and quality.
Common insect pests include aphids, moths, beetles, phorid flies, and vectors such as psyllids that transmit plant diseases. Their effects vary by crop, region, and season, but the outcome often results in reduced marketable output and greater uncertainty for growers.
Where control is less effective, losses are not limited to yield. More produce may be downgraded or rejected during sorting and grading. Additional labour is often required to manage infestations or salvage affected crops. Over time, these pressures can erode margins and affect the reliability of supply.
A changing risk landscape
A combination of pressures have resulted in this growing problem. Changing weather patterns can extend pest activity and increase the number of generations within a season. Pests are also appearing in areas where they were not previously established. At the same time, resistance to commonly used insecticides is becoming more widespread, and in some markets the range of available control options is narrowing due to regulatory changes.
These shifts make pest pressure harder to predict and manage. Growers are expected to maintain productivity while reducing environmental impact, which places more weight on approaches that are both effective and consistent under field conditions.
Global estimates underline the scale of the issue. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicates that up to 40% of crop production is lost to pests and diseases each year, with insects accounting for a significant share of these losses.
Our approach
Focusing on insect control, we applied our expertise in textile engineering to develop Texterra, a range of barrier-based solutions that limit pest access to crops while incorporating insecticidal properties to reduce pest survival on contact.
This approach supports integrated pest management (IPM), in which different methods are combined to manage risk and reduce reliance on chemical inputs.
Deployment is straightforward, withstands environmental exposure, and provides stable performance throughout growing seasons.