Berries

At Biostart, we support berry growers with biostimulants to activate soil and plant microbes that stimulate good root growth, nutrient uptake and resilience against disease – resulting in bigger and better berry yields. We also have targeted solutions for both botrytis and root problems

Mycorrcin

Improve soil health by activating beneficial soil microbes and mycorrhizal fungi. Certified organic version available.

Foliacin

Foliar spray for improved plant health and resilience. Certified organic version available.

Digester

Decomposition product for faster plant breakdown and nutrient recycling. Certified organic version available.

TripleX

Certified organic biofungicide for controlling Botrytis.

Karbyon

Gentle certified organic control of powdery mildew.

Terracin

Rebalances soil microbiology with two modes of action helping to improve plant root health.

PP9

Innoculant of the beneficial bacteria Pseudomonas putida, essential for healthy soil.

How we can help

At Biostart, we have a range of biostimulants to help you get the most from your berry fruit crop.

Using the Biostart programme to optimise soil and leaf biology has been shown to lead to faster plant establishment, increased root growth and nutrient uptake and higher and better-quality yields.

Plus, we also have programmes designed to help you through tough times. Read through our programmes below to find out how to bounce back from environmental stress, whether it is wind damage, extreme heat, flooding or drought. We also have TripleX to target Botrytis in your berry crops and Karbyon for Powdery Mildew infection, as well as a range of products to tackle common soil problems berry growers face.

Our biostimulant products are compatible with nutritional and pest and disease control products so can be easily added into your current growing programme.

Mycorrcin Strawberry Trial A series of trials in New Zealand and Western Australia show that applying Mycorrcin to strawberry plants improves root growth, leading to better plant establishment and increased fruit yield. Read more

Evidence

Pictured above are strawberry plants and strawberry root systems, with untreated plants on the left and Mycorrcin-treated plants on the right of both images.

Mycorrcin-treated blueberry plants, this photo was taken five months after planting, showing roots filling the pots.

How to use our products

Standard Berry Programme

Product Timing Application
Mycorrcin Planting and replanting Prior to planting apply Mycorrcin 2 L/ha with weed spray to the planting area. Soak roots of all the plants for planting in a large container of 1:100 Mycorrcin (10 mL/1 L per plant) solution for 20 minutes. Then add 1 L of 1:100 Mycorrcin to the planting hole and plant the tree. Follow up with the standard Mycorrcin program.
Early growth At first fertigation add 5 L/ha.
Flowering, fruit set, fruit growth and harvest Fertigate with 0.5 L/ha once a fortnight.
Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
After periods of disease, chemical and/or environmental stress e.g. wind, extreme wet and cold, drought, hot or dry 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays in a minimum of 200 L of water.
Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 2 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 0.66 L Digester/ha.
For heavy disease over-wintering, compacted or water-logged soil Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.3 L Digester/ha.

Standard Strawberry Programme

Product Timing Application
Subheading
Mycorrcin Prior to planting Soak plants in a 1% solution prior to planting.
Early growth At first fertigation add 5 L/ha.
Flowering, fruit set, fruit growth and harvest Fertigate with 0.5 L/ha once a fortnight.
Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
After periods of disease, chemical and/or environmental stress
e.g. wind, extreme wet and cold, drought, hot or dry		 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays in a minimum of 200 L of water.
Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 2 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 0.66 L Digester/ha.
For heavy disease over-wintering, compacted or water-logged soil Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.3 L Digester/ha.

Rescue programmes

Product Timing Application
Stress
Mycorrcin After stress Apply 10 L/ha sprayed onto the soil.
Foliacin After periods of disease, chemical and/or environmental stress
e.g. wind, extreme wet and cold, drought, hot or dry		 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays in a minimum of 200 L of water.
Problem soil
Mycorrcin First time use or when needed Apply 6 L/ha sprayed onto the soil.
Digester Compacted or water-logged soil Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.3 L Digester/ha.
PP9
 Early morning or late afternoon 50 mL/ha, apply directly to orchard floor. Minimum water rate 200L/ha.
Terracin
 Blueberries and raspberries – Autumn 10 L/ha (dilute with 500–1000 L water).
Strawberries – before mounding, prior to planting Spray 10 L/ha (dilute with 500–1000 L water) on to soil.
Powdery Mildew
Karbyon Prevention and low-level infections Apply at 1 kg/100 L at 10-15-day intervals until disease is controlled.
High disease pressure and severe infections Apply at 2 kg/100 L at 7-10-day intervals until disease is controlled.
Botrytis
TripleX In response to disease pressure Apply dilute TripleX, 300 mL/100 L water minimum (1.5 L TripleX/ha), every 14–21 days in response to disease pressure.

Programme

Product Timing Application
Organic Mycorrcin Planting and replanting Prior to planting apply Organic Mycorrcin 2 L/ha with weed spray to the planting area. Soak roots of all the plants for planting in a large container of 1:100 Organic Mycorrcin (10 mL/1 L per plant) solution for 20 minutes. Then add 1 L of 1:100 Organic Mycorrcin to the planting hole and plant the tree. Follow up with the standard Organic Mycorrcin program.
Early Spring 6 L/ha sprayed onto the soil.
Growing season 2 L/ha sprayed onto the soil with weed spray.
Autumn 4 L/ha sprayed onto the soil.
Fertigation 1 L/ha/month added to fertigation system.
Organic Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
After periods of disease, chemical and/or environmental stress
e.g. wind, extreme wet and cold, drought, hot or dry		 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays in a minimum of 200 L of water.
Organic Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 2 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 0.66 L Organic Digester/ha.
For heavy disease over-wintering, compacted or water-logged soil Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.3 L Organic Digester/ha.
Container crops
Organic Mycorrcin From planting Apply 0.01 mL/L of soil volume/fortnight.
Hydroponics
Organic Mycorrcin From planting Add 10mL/100m2/fortnight to reservoir or nutrient tank.

Berry programmes

Product Timing Application
Organic Mycorrcin Prior to planting Soak plants in a 1% solution prior to planting.
Early growth At first fertigation add 5 L/ha.
Flowering, fruit set, fruit growth and harvest Fertigate with 0.5 L/ha once a fortnight.
Organic Foliacin Early growth/first cover spray up to flowering 0.5 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Apply every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays.
After periods of disease, chemical and/or environmental stress
e.g. wind, extreme wet and cold, drought, hot or dry		 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays in a minimum of 200 L of water.
Organic Digester Post-pruning or leaf fall; or at mulching Apply 2 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water applied over leaf litter and prunings to the soil. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 0.66 L Digester/ha.
For heavy disease over-wintering, compacted or water-logged soil Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.3 L Digester/ha.

Organic rescue programmes

Product Timing Application
Stress
Organic Mycorrcin After stress Apply 10 L/ha sprayed onto the soil.
Organic Foliacin After periods of disease, chemical and/or environmental stress
e.g. wind, extreme wet and cold, drought, hot or dry		 1 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. Then 0.5 L/ha every 10–14 days with crop protection sprays and/or nutritional sprays in a minimum of 200 L of water.
Problem soil
Organic Mycorrcin First time use or when needed Apply 6 L/ha sprayed onto the soil.
Organic Digester Compacted or water-logged soil Apply 4 L/ha in a minimum of 200 L of water. If only applying to the weed spray strip (1/3 ha) then this is equivalent to 1.3 L Digester/ha.
PP9
 Early morning or late afternoon 50 mL/ha, apply directly to orchard floor. Minimum water rate 200L/ha.
Powdery Mildew
Karbyon Prevention and low-level infections Apply at 1 kg/100 L at 10-15-day intervals until disease is controlled.
High disease pressure and severe infections Apply at 2 kg/100 L at 7-10-day intervals until disease is controlled.
Botrytis
TripleX In response to disease pressure Apply dilute TripleX, 300 mL/100 L water minimum (1.5 L TripleX/ha), every 14–21 days in response to disease pressure.

Ready to get started?

Contact us for personalised advice or find out where you can buy Biostart products:

Contact us
Where to buy