Ekovax
Insecticide free plant protection
Protective layer
Ekovax creates a protective layer that prevents the great pine weevil from feeding on the plant. The product is applied in the nursery as a single treatment and provides the planted seedling protection over several seasons.
Natural and non-toxic
Ekovax is made from natural materials. It does not contain any insecticide or fungicide and is harmless to insects and animals living in the forest. Wax is fully biodegradable, non-reactive, non-toxic and insoluble in water.
Application after sorting
Ekovax is a modern development from a long tradition of wax use in agriculture. Wax changes from a liquid to a solid state simply by cooling and a layer will form immediately on the plant. This makes it possible to sort, wax treat and pack the plant in one operation.
Key benefits
Non-Toxic
OECD reproduction tests of Ekovax show no toxic effect on the soil fauna. Soil micro organisms will not be negatively affected by Ekovax.
Biodegradable
Tested to be inherently biodegradable following OECD method. This means that the product will disintegrate over time and not accumulate in nature.
Protective layer
Ekovax creates a flexible layer that prevents feeding from the pine weevil. Wax also reduces water evaporation from the plant and protects new buds.
For all nurseries
Application equipment has been developed for different production volumes. The Ekovax technology is suitable for both bareroot and containerized plants.
Rapid setting – no drying
Wax is applied liquid and sets rapidly by cooling, forming a solid layer. There is no drying time. The treated plants can be packed within minutes.
Well documented
Ekovax has been studied for over 20 years by independent research institutions. The EU framework 7 project Weevilstop studied the wax-plant and wax-insect interactions.
New technology requires a combination of knowledge from different fields. For pine weevil protection this involves plant health, entomology (science of insects), environmental issues, machines and mechanical engineering. A full scale solution must have studied all aspects
Confidence based on extensive studies
Research institutions that have studied Ekovax:
• University of Oslo (UIO): UIO has studied how the wax coating influences the plant development in various projects since 2000. UIO participated in the EU Framework 7 Weevilstop project (2012-2015) and contributed with studies of plant growth, biodegradation and toxicity.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU): SLU have conducted field trials with wax for protection against pine weevil since 1992. SLU participated in the Weevilstop project and was responsible for studying pine weevil behavior around and on waxed plants.
• Field trials comparing insecticides and wax in different regions of Norway have been conducted by UIO and partly by NIBIO.
Further information on this research:
Weevilstop project→ | Weevilstop final report→ | University of Oslo→ | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)→
White pigment added to the wax reduces temperature increase from sun and UV degradation
