Bionema Group has launched a new digital biocontrol training platform, to help end-users maximise the potential of their highly effective biological-based products, which protect and naturally enhance crops.

Biological agriculture is a fast-growing sector, offering safe and sustainable alternatives to conventional agrochemicals. Unfortunately, when many biocontrol products were first launched, end-users did not appreciate that these technologies might include living organisms, and little consideration was given to environmental or other factors that can impact performance.

Educating end-users is a vital part of the biocontrol sector’s success. However, the recent global pandemic, time and cost pressures, and the sheer number of farmers, growers, horticulturalists and other end-users mean that individual training can be difficult to deliver. Digital e-Training offers one solution, allowing end-users to learning at their own pace and in their own time, giving them the flexibility to use the courses around their commitments.

The Bionema is a biocontrol technology developer and manufacturer developed digital training platform for commercial distributors and end-users, such as growers, farmers, greenkeepers, course managers, groundsman, foresters, agronomists, and integrated pest management (IPM) practitioners.

With more training courses soon to be added to the platform, the digital training platform opens with Application of biological insecticides: Entomopathogenic Nematodes training courses available. Entomopathogenic nematodes are a type of beneficial nematodes which are commercially available and proper care and application.

Dr Minshad Ansari, Founder and CEO of Bionema Group Ltd, explained “Biological technologies can be even more effective than conventional chemicals, I am constantly meeting end-users who don’t see those benefits. That is, until they get a bit of help in understanding how to best use these products. We developed and launched first classroom training in 2017 to help our customers, and I am now very pleased to offer a digital training platform which does not required to attend in person”

Dr Ansari added: “We are very excited about launching this digital Training platform. The first three courses have already been road-tested at Bionema, with some overwhelmingly positive feedback, so we know that they can be of great help to end-users. As we can grow this platform to cover more topics, including best best-practice approaches for biostimulants, biofertlisers and organic agriculture, for example, we hope to provide a great one-stop resource for end-users, which will directly advance acceptability and growth of the biocontrol sector.”

Biocontrols are essentially living organisms, such as nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and beneficial insects. It is important to understand how best to use them. The way they are stored, handled and applied is very important. Without proper care, they may not perform as well as they should.