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A new horizon for the therapy of plants: endoinfusion!

With “endotherapy” we identify the procedure involving the introduction of a pest control or nutrient solution in the lymphatic vessels of plants and trees. The main aim is to purify the lymph which circulates in all the different parts of the plant. While sprayings interest the entire tree’s foliage, endotherapy is different because it uses lower quantity of products and because the absorbed products remains effective for a longer period.

In woody plants, the xylem follows a well-defined path: from roots to tree’s foliage inside the xylem vessels thanks to the potential gradient of the water. As a consequence of this natural phenomenon, only selected fluids can enter the vessels and reach the whole plant. So far, endotherapy has not been very popular nor has found a wide range of users. Perhaps this is due to the limits endotherapy brings, such as the permanent damages in plant trunks and the wood discoloration caused by the pressure applied to introduce the fluid. In fact, with traditional endotherapy methods a hole is made with a drill to reach the lymphatic vessels. After that, a series of pressures are needed to  inject the solution into the holes. This technique causes inevitable permanent damages to the trunk. Cavitation is another consequence of the strong pressure. For these reasons, the limits of the traditional method completely overwhelm the striking and indisputable benefits of endotherapy.

The new frontier of endotherapy forgets the past and moves on, taking advantage of the possibility to avoid the negative aspects previously mentioned. With Bitecare® a new era of tree endotherapy begins. In fact, pressure injection is replaced with natural infusion. The Bitecare® system is based on an innovative gravity method which allows the plant to absorb external fluids in a completely natural way and use the transpiration process as driving force for their movement.

The Bitecare® system not only differs from traditional endotherapy methods for the means adopted to reach the lymphatic vessels but also for the ways in which liquids enter the xylem.

Thanks to a patented striker called Bite®, needles of appropriate sizes are inserted manually between the plant fibers of the trunk, separating them. The obstruction of the fibers by the lenticular section needle allows to temporarily create the “Venturi effect” which permits the absorption of the external liquid used for nourishing or therapeutic purposes. As in a normal perfusion in the medical field, at the end of the therapy the needle is removed without leaving any permanent wound. After few weeks, in fact, the plant will have completely and naturally healed the needle hole, eliminating any risk of parasites or pathogens’ infections.

Through endotherapy, the nutrient or therapeutic solution introduced in the plant lasts during a quite long period of time. In fact, runoff  and leaching do not occur as with sprayings on the tree’s foliage. Moreover, the leaf absorption levels during sprayings are limited and strictly linked to external conditions. With endoinfusion, once the active ingredients are infused, they are much more stable, allowing a much higher window of action.

The result is a drastic reduction of the seasonal number of interventions. In many cases, only a single intervention performed in spring is sufficient.

The management of public green spaces can therefore count on a new silent and effective ally. Endoinfusion guarantees results for at least an entire season on all plants with secondary growth, regardless of age or species. Thanks to other elements of the Bitecare® system, it is possible to achieve results which are in some ways unique in order to fight public green insects and fungi. For example, thanks to the Newpharm Abamectin infused with the Bitecare® system, it is possible to guarantee an annual insecticidal action against many pests of the urban environment, among which we could include: aphids, horse chestnut leafminers, Platanus lace bugs, phylloxeras, stink bugs, bark beetles, tortricid moths, fall webworms, pine processionaries and many other insects.

Among the constituents of the Bitecare® system, the patented formulated product Sapjet® has great relevance: Sapjet® has been developed with the aim of increasing the speed of absorption of the plant. This sort of “artificial sap” improves the infusion of pest control products making them more compatible with the physiology of the tree. Sapjet® is a cutting-edge carrier. It is an aqueous solution which replace water in the preparation of the mixture infused in the plant. Finally, it does not contain any toxic element for plants unlike many other similar products available in the market.

Did you know that…

Compared to other carriers used in endotherapies which require pressure, the infusions prepared with the patented Sapjet® allow a faster absorption of the pesticide up to 90%.

In fact, 1ml of pesticide solution prepared with water or other solvent takes about 10 minutes to complete the infusion on a Maple tree (Acer L.). But, when the mixture is prepared using Sapjet®, the absorption potential rises to about 1ml / minute.

The infusion volumes are reduced with the Bitecare® method to one ml of pesticide solution per each centimetre of the circumference of the tree.

In addition to the Newpharm® Abamectin insecticide, the Bitecare® system can count on the potassium phosphites of Enerbite®, a ready-to-use liquid fertilizer specifically designed for infusions involving atmospheric pressure. Besides providing the necessary nutrients to plants, it stimulates the formation of complex organic compounds useful for the general defense of the plant from pathogens such as the ink disease in chestnuts or other diseases caused by the Phytophtora genus. Several studies on the effectiveness of the Bite® and Enerbite® products in relation with the phytopathogenic fungus Phytophthora cinnamomas have been published by researchers of the University of Padua.

Even though endotherapy with the Bitecare® system is the least invasive kind of endotherapy, it is suggested to apply a disinfectant solution on the bark before introducing the needle and immediately after its extraction to prevent fungi and bacteria from entering the holes. The natural extract of Propolis fulfills the bacteriostatic function, creating a natural protective film thanks to the high content of flavonoids and allowing a complete healing. No mastic, paraffin or chemical disinfectants are needed with the Bitecare® system and the extract of Propolis.

The Bitecare® system is the innovative tool for gravity infusions in high-stem trees of all species and ages both in public and private soil. The gravity method, result of research by the University of Padua, offers many advantages which cannot be reached with traditional spraying techniques such as a total respect to the surrounding environment, entomofauna and non-target organisms.


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