SaferSHIELD
Above-rhizosphere pest and disease suppression protocols.
SaferSHIELD is the SaferGardens platform for crop-health problems affecting leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, crowns, meristems, vascular tissues, and canopy systems.
The platform is being developed for complex tropical field conditions where crops are often under pressure from more than one pest or pathogen at the same time. SaferSHIELD protocols are designed to ARREST active damage, SUPPRESS pest and disease pressure, CONTROL recurrence, and support crop recovery where needed.
Current work includes partner validation in cocoa for witches’ broom and black pod, early anthracnose work from 2024 on pimento peppers and sweet peppers, and continuing protocol development for peppers, papaya, and anthracnose-sensitive tropical crops.
Current platform status: Early Production Prototyping (ENP), with ARREST, SUPPRESS and CONTROL functions in process.
SaferSHIELD Links
Use these links for the SaferSHIELD test site, field updates, social updates, and direct messages.
SaferSHIELD Test Site and Update Channels
The update buttons use Blogger labels. New blog posts should use the correct SaferSHIELD label so the status streams stay current.
Program Areas
SaferSHIELD Cocoa
Partner validation has kicked off for cocoa disease pressure, focused on witches’ broom and black pod. Field work includes cocoa sites in Trinidad and Tobago.
SaferSHIELD Anthracnose
Early SaferSHIELD anthracnose work began in 2024 on pimento peppers and sweet peppers. Updates track anthracnose suppression work across susceptible tropical crops.
SaferSHIELD Peppers
Focused on broad mites, whiteflies, virus-related decline, bacterial spot, foliar disease pressure, anthracnose, crop stress, and recovery support. Current field work includes Cunupia.
SaferSHIELD Papaya
Focused on anthracnose, whiteflies, virus-related crop decline, Phytophthora-linked fruit and stem problems, bacterial spot, foliar disease pressure, fruit quality, and recovery support.
Work With Us
SaferSHIELD programs are built with farmers, estates, agronomists, institutions, observers, and development partners who can help test-drive, improve, and deploy practical crop-health protocols.