About Us & General Information

Beneficial Nematodes are acknowledged as one of the safest and most effective control options for many turf, horticulture and garden pests.

Ecogrow has long been committed to providing effective pest control solutions for the environmentally sound management of Amenity Turf and Horticultural growing organizations. We are proud to also have this product available for use by residential households Australia wide.

We have been producing Beneficial Nematodes commercially in Australia for 20 years. Ecogrow is a wholly Australian owned and managed.

Founded in 1999, and charged with commercializing a range of environmentally sound technologies for the control of insect pests which were the result of an Australian Research success story of the CSIRO – being its Entomopathogenic Nematode (EN) Technology pioneered by Dr Robin Bedding AM.

This technology – using solid culture techniques and formulation properties for the mass production of entomopathogenic nematodes – continues to produce the highest quality beneficial nematodes available.

We continue to work with industry organisations and researchers to broaden the areas of application of entomopathogenic nematodes, and the identification of new treatable pests.

Services

Ecogrow is an organization committed to providing solutions for the environmentally sound management of Amenity Turf and Horticultural growing organizations. Our initial focus is on commercialising a range of Environmentally sound technologies for the control of insect pests. In addition to providing world leading product technologies we are equally committed to backing these up with a comprehensive level of advice to help managers and growers make the transition to more sustainable management practices.

We currently produce six separate species of nematodes commercially in the Australian market for forestry, wholesale nurseries, golf clubs, Universities, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, householders and various government agencies.

History

The first nematode to be used successfully in the control of an insect pest was here in Australia nearly 40 years ago.

CSIRO Entomology began work on the very different pest control concept of Entomopathogenic Nematodes (ENs) in 1969 lead by Dr Robin Bedding AM.

The CSIRO EN technology is the first technology that Ecogrow has commercialized. ENs are the second most widely used biological control worldwide. The CSIRO have been world leaders in this space, with two of the largest successful bio-control projects to their
name:-

• The control of the Sirex Wasp a pest of pine forests which is estimated to have saved the Australian pine industry some $4 Billion dollars. Ecogrow participates in the National Sirex control program, and has sent nematodes to South Africa and the USA for research purposes for Sirex control.
• The saving from Carpenter Worms of the shade trees that provide shade to important trade routes in China – without this shade that rural trade relies on those routes and trade opportunities would be greatly reduced.

In 1999, CSIRO Entomology negotiated with a number of groups interested in commercialising the technology. After negotiations with CSIRO, Ecogrow was appointed licensee of the technology and took over the business of marketing the nematodes as a standalone company.

We continue to expand the reach of nematodes to new markets and customers.