Spraying oils: are they an under utilised resource in New Zealand?

Abstract

One of the main problems we face orcharding in the Whangarei district is the encroachment of lifestyle residential properties and people buying orchards as lifestyle (residential) blocks. Traditional spraying of organophosphates and other toxic chemicals is at best tolerated and in some cases an unacceptable risk. Spraying oils may be part of the solution to this problem as they have been in use for 100s of years as matricides, fungicides, and insecticides and are non toxic to mammals. In recent times new chemistry has overtaken them to the point where I believe they are an under utilised resource in New Zealand with significant I.P.M advantages being non-fatal to beneficial insects giving low cost pest and disease control.