TRICHOcontrol – Dispensing Balls is an innovative solution for releasing Trichogramma achaeae, a parasitoid wasp used in biological control against lepidopteran pests such as Tuta absoluta and Chrysodeixis chalcites. The product consists of small compostable plastic balls containing pupae of the beneficial insect, providing a more effective and practical alternative to traditional distribution methods.

Unlike vials containing pupae and substrate—which require manual release and expose emerging adults to unfavourable climatic conditions and phytosanitary treatments—the Dispensing Balls protect the pupae thanks to their closed design and resistant material. Compared with dispenser cards, which concentrate too many pupae in a limited number of release points, the balls enable a far more uniform distribution across the crop (125 release points per box).

This aspect is particularly important because T. achaeae has a limited dispersal capacity, moving mainly by walking or with small jumps. Studies conducted by the Agrobío research team have identified a dispersal distance of around 5 metres from the release point, highlighting the need for a minimum number of strategically distributed points.