Pesticide company Exosect is recommending that growers shift to a more integrated approach to pest management practices during the volatile weather.

The company said that wind and rain can interfere with spray timing, which can have an impact on success when targeting a particular stage in the pest life cycle. Rain creates a threat because successful application relies on the crop being dry, and can take between two and 12 hours to dry properly, and wind can cause the spray to drift, contaminating waterways and gardens nearby.

Exosect’s marketing manager Richard Dyason said: “Sadly many growers in regions of the UK have lost their entire season’s crop to flooding. For those who did not, the battle to protect and nurture their crop continues. Traditional pesticide spraying techniques rely heavily on anticipating spells of dry weather and the unpredictability of the weather we have experienced this season suggests this will become an ongoing concern.”