IPM

Despite the fact that it very well may not be possible to totally free your nursery from ants, some natural techniques can help control their populaces.

The worrying increase in pests and the impact of the weather are causing the kaki production to fall at a higher rate than expected in the Region of Valencia, the fruit's main producing area in Spain. Although the prices that producers receive are higher compared to the same period last season, the…

A prototype of a relatively cheap laser-based weeding device was developed and tested on couch grass (Elytrigia repens (L.) Desv. ex Nevski) mixed with tomatoes. Three types of laser were used (0.3 W, 1 W, and 5 W). A neural network was trained to identify the weed plants, and a laser guidance system estimated the coordinates of the weed. An algorithm was developed to estimate the energy necessary to harm the weed plants. We also developed a decision model for the weed control device. The energy required to damage a plant depended on the diameter of the plant which was related to plant length. The 1 W laser was not sufficient to eliminate all weed plants and required too long exposure time. The 5 W laser was more efficient but also harmed the crop if the laser beam became split into two during the weeding process. There were several challenges with the device, which needs to be improved upon. In particular, the time of exposure needs to be reduced significantly. Still, the research showed that it is possible to develop a concept for laser weeding using relatively cheap equipment, which can work in complicated situations where weeds and crop are mixed.

On October 15, the University of Almería has presented its new R + D + i project, carried out in partnership with the company NaanDanJain Ibérica. The objective is to develop highly applied solutions in the field of intensive Mediterranean agriculture. The project, entitled 'Experimental evaluation of…

Vellsam Materias Bioactivas will participate in Fruit Attraction's first online edition with a webinar on research in the plant's defense system and their rhizosphere, which it will offer in the coming days through the Fruit Attraction LIVEConnect technological platform, which has been working since…

Integrated pest management (IPM), also known as integrated pest control, is an integral part of the agricultural practices in the tropical areas, for one, this is one of the most pest-affected areas in the world and grows the most of the world’s food grain. Any upset in agriculture cannot only affect incomes and livelihoods of farmers but poses a serious threat on the food security situation for the burgeoning population as well.

October is the time for planting Winter crops and Cabbage and cauliflower are important cole crops grown extensively in India. These crops have severe incidences of insect pests like Diamond Back Moth, Leaf Webber, Aphids, Stem borer and Spodoptera. The head or the curd gets eaten and that deteriorates the quality of the vegetable.

Svensson debuts its 6th product family for insect control. The new Xsect range consists of screen solutions designed to keep the good insects inside the greenhouse and the bad ones out. Excluding pests is the most effective insect control method and first line of defense in an integrated pest management…

The smart surveillance initiative @iMapPESTS aims to report accurate & timely #pest & #pathogen data to industry to support pest management on-farm.

Sentinel 2 recently completed a trial beside a crop of #Brusselssprouts in SA: bit.ly/2Guibxg

The latest, if not the definitive, solution to combat fungal diseases such as mildew and botrytis, that unfortunately still affect a lot of crops, is called Icaro X4. Experiments are currently underway in viticulture (against downy mildew), but patents (both in Italy and abroad) have been extended to fruit growing and…

Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation is efficient in reducing the development of diseases in many species, including strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). Several studies suggest that UV-C radiation is effective not only because of its disinfecting effect but also because it may stimulate plant defenses. In a new…

Powdery mildew is a dreaded disease in strawberry cultivation. The fungus spreads quickly, and infected strawberry fruits cannot be sold. The Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs of Wageningen University & Research is investigating whether climate control in the greenhouse can prevent…

The SEWIA project (selective electrochemical weeding in agriculture) will develop new tools, enabling farmers to use modern methods for selective weeding in vegetable cultures, such as lettuce and other high-value specialty crops. The continuously decreasing number of herbicides approved in agriculture…

Last week we were joined by experts in pest management for Episode 2 of the 2020 Food Safety Consortium Virtual Conference Series. Although pest management may not be seen as the most exciting topic, all food plants are required to have an integrated pest management program. In addition, the digital transformation fast-tracked by COVID-19 is also driving innovation in the remote monitoring of pests.

Barney Debnam, global agriculture strategy lead at Microsoft kicked off the conversation with some key themes driving change within the global food system, which have also been accelerated by COVID: Geopolitical forces, consumerization, democratized biology, sustainability, shifting economics and food security. As technology continues to evolve and is adopted at a faster pace (think artificial intelligence and how accessible it is now), businesses will be able to transform their outcomes by becoming more predictive. The key technology enablers in the process include:

Internet of Things and edge computing Advanced analytics Artificial intelligence and cognitive computing Graph technology Blockchain Digital workplace Mixed reality

The most significant benefit of implementing technology such as remote monitoring into an IPM program is its ability to provide visibility and the data to back up what is happening in a facility.

The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta, which originates from South America, has been popping up everywhere for the last twelve years. This tropical moth particularly likes protected crops grown in nice and warm conditions. But this moth is a true nuisance that is also a master of concealment. So, be extra…

Planned Obsolescence

To protect crops from the pesky fall armyworm, a caterpillar that plagues farmers around the world, a team of scientists altered its DNA so that any eggs it lays will self-destruct.

Unfortunately, the end result isn’t the dazzling explosion we’d hoped for. Rather, Wired reports, the caterpillar eggs are so overloaded with certain proteins that they’re blocked from ever developing or hatching, nipping the invasive species’ growth in the bud. Oxitec, the biotech company that developed the new worms — along with similar mosquitoes in the past — is already running small tests on its pesticide-free approach to crop protection.

Grower2Grower will present a workshop via zoom on October 7th, 09:00 - 09:45 AM NZST. Dr. Gunjan Gera with Zonda Beneficials will talk about thrips control. Dr. Gera will cover: Beneficial insects available including suggested application rates Integrated pest management options Possible future control techniques  Find out more and register here.…

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is a serious invasive pest impacting the production of multiple fruit crops, including soft and stone fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and cherries. Effective control is challenging and reliant on integrated pest management which includes the use of an…

Space Worms

If long-term missions to space or even new worlds are to have any chance of success, astronauts will likely need to learn to grow their own food.

That means developing a space version of agriculture. Now, scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the biotech company Pheronym brought the idea one step closer to reality with the discovery that roundworms are just as good at gobbling up pest insects up in space as they are down here, giving future astronauts a new way to protect their crops.

Relatively few new seed onion varieties have been introduced in recent years. Then, last year, the Dutch company, Syngenta, introduced the Promotion. And the Nation variety is set to be launched new year. "These varieties are available in the short term already. But, we have something new in store for…

Lemon tree grows in a subtropical climate and bears a sour yellow coloured fruit when ripe. Lemon trees are affected by insects like Asian citrus psyllid and citrus rust mites. Both can be dealt with spraying oil onto the trees. Diseases include Citrus canker, Greasy spot, Anthracnose etc.

Founded in 2018, the company Mycea has recently been awarded the i-Lab 2020 Grand Prix for its BE-SAFE project (Biocontrol and Environmental Solutions for Agriculture based on Fungal Extracts). The start-up located in Montpellier was created by Dominique Barry-Etienne, PhD in agronomy, and Sébastien…

“The first thing is to understand the controlling factors. How do you make sure of the soil and the water quality health. Our job is the water quality.” Outside of heavy metals, some micro-nutrients are toxic to plants in moderate concentrations or specific conditions.  KETOS looks at water quality…

One of the challenges of biologically based Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is that natural enemies can only establish once pests are present. This head start allows pests to reproduce, causing plant damage, increasing the time and expense required for pest control and sometimes solicits chemical…

On the assumption that there is nothing more unpleasant and annoying than insects buzzing around your plants (mainly around the base), especially knowing that they can ruin your garden: have you thought about tackling the problem from below? Yep. There are different available options of biological…

With constantly emerging viruses, pests and diseases in the greenhouse horticulture, hygiene in the greenhouse is an important and much-discussed topic. Clean hands, clean machines and clean water ensure a clean greenhouse, and therefore also clean crops. Steenks Service provides some tips for hygienic…

IPM is not a new concept but there’s a current push for its wider implementation. This is mainly due to the EU ban on most types of chemical pest control in the last few years because of their potential negative impact on human health and the environment. Sustainable approaches to the challenges faced by…

“We are the inside,” says Emily Fuerst, R&D Director of Kemin Crop Technologies. This is a division of Kemin Industries, a privately held, family owned business which started in 1961 in Des Moines, Iowa. The company is now globally present, with over 2,500 employees and R&D facilities worldwide,…

A commercial greenhouse or indoor farm are the perfect space for growing all manner of plants, however, this space is also perfect for the harboring of pests and disease as the conditions are ideal. Unlike in the outside world that has predators and weather to control the spread of pests and disease, a…

Aiming to kick-start the crop protection industry’s stalled R&D pipelines to develop novel, safer products for the global farming community, Enko Chem Inc.(Enko) today publicly launched after securing $45 million in a Series B round of financing, bringing its total funding raised to date to $66 million.…