Chilean fruit grower Florencio Lazo has invented a machine that he thinks could eliminate the need for pesticide or fungicide sprays in an orchard or vineyard. His Thermal Pest Control (TPC) machine shoots a quick blast of hot air at the trees or vines as it’s driven through the orchard or vineyard, killing fungi and insects and boosting the plant’s own defense system, he says. Lazo has 100 hectares (240 acres) of fruits, including grapes and cherries, in Rosario, Chile, and says when he uses the heat treatment he doesn’t need to spray them at all. In addition, the heat […]