The applications of the concept of integral plant maintenance (IPM) as well as natural and technological resources we manage reduce the necessity for chemical protection to a minimum in our orchard. Compared to the most European orchards Atos apples are 50% less treated with chemicals. Each apple carrying the Atos label is healthy, safe and produced in accordance with strict standards and regulations of European Union and Russian Federation.

Integral plan maintenance (IPM) is a part of integral production referring to the disease and pest control. IPM program uses current and comprehensive information on pests and their interaction with the environment. IPM does not present a unique control method, but a series of decisions referring to the basic evaluation of pest and disease appearance, and the application of the most efficient control method not harmful to the ecosystem, humans and the environment. The producers upholding the concepts of the integral plant maintenance are obligated to obey the following four phases:

-          Economic damage based on harmfulness benchmark evaluation

-          Pest identification and monitoring

-          Prevention

-          Control

Only few of a large number of advantages of integral approach to plant maintenance are the following:

-          Promotion of the sustainable pest management, based on the BIO principle (organic production principle)

-          Reduction of environmental risk, pest management by adopting ecological control points

-          Reduction of potential air and underground water pollution

-          Reduction of pesticide requirements

-          Elimination of the possibility of pesticide remains in the fruit

-          Reduction of pesticide exposure of workers and the public