Agriculture Pest Articles
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Taking the Guesswork Out of Precision Scouting Drones
The Rise of Precision Scouting Drones A few weeks ago, I attended a summit at Louisiana State University regarding precision scouting drones and their application in agriculture. It was a wonderfully informational gathering of agronomists, producers, and a few lucky industry types like myself. Professors and agronomic experts from the LSU Extension Service presented their views, experiences, ...
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Modeling effect of cover condition and soil type on rotavirus transport in surface flow
Runoff from animal production facilities contains various microbial pathogens which pose a health hazard to both humans and animals. Rotavirus is a frequently detected pathogen in agricultural runoff and the leading cause of death among children around the world. Diarrheal infection caused by rotavirus causes more than two million hospitalizations and death of more than 500,000 children every ...
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Climate and Economic Benefits of Agroforestry Systems
Introduction Agriculture is well known as a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, but emerging practices in land management have the potential to curtail these emissions and reverse much of the ecological and climate harm caused by overly intensive systems. One such practice, cultivation and conservation of trees in agricultural practices, or agroforestry, is an important ...
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Iran welcomes Plastic-Puglia
Two days of meetings and discussions between the Plastic-Puglia and Iran. The company, in close cooperation with IAMB, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, and together with the technical department of Terremerse Bagnocavallo Cooperative (Ravenna), was invited by the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture to deal with the problems of the agricultural sector , particularly those relating to ...
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TrueNDVI vs. Synthetic NDVI Explained
Not all NDVI is created equal Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) imagery products have become increasingly common in precision agriculture applications. More companies are offering NDVI and NDVI-like products, including “Synthetic NDVI” images from drone platforms. At Sentera, it is our mission to provide you only the most valuable crop health data, which is why all of our ...
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China: agricultural production and groundwater
As in many parts of the People’s Republic of China, Shanxi Province is experiencing reduced water security for the agriculture sector. Changing climate conditions, including reduced rainfall, are increasing reliance on groundwater resources in the province. Unsustainable groundwater use for food production intensifies the impacts of climate change, and cost-effective adaptation responses ...
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Birds are not the only carriers of Avian Influenza
Global poultry production has more than quadrupled since 1970, with the United States leading the flock. However, due to the rising demand for chicken and other poultry, avian influenza, or ‘bird flu,’ outbreaks have occurred at an accelerated rate, causing concern across the agricultural industry. Most alarmingly is the fact that the 2014 bird flu virus killed nearly 50 million ...
By Bird-X Inc.
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The developing world is awash in pesticides. Does it have to be?
Herbicides, insecticides and fungicides threaten the environment and human health in many parts of the world. But research is pointing to a better approach. In today’s globalized world, it is not inconceivable that one might drink coffee from Colombia in the morning, munch cashews from Vietnam for lunch and gobble grains from Ethiopia for dinner. That we can enjoy these products is thanks, ...
By Ensia
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Ontario Horticulture Research Priority Report 2016
Sector Consultation The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association partnered with Vineland to host a research strategy workshop in November 2014 with the goal of defining the top five research priorities for each crop group. Grower organizations were invited to nominate two representatives to participate on their behalf and a number of researchers from relevant fields were invited to ...
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Biopesticides Examined for Role in Field Production
Biopesticides deserve respect. Once derided as snake oil, today’s products have proven benefits in suppressing pest organisms. Whether they activate plant defenses, parasitize or inhibit pathogen growth or make the environment less favourable to disease, they can play an integral role in crop protection. While the greenhouse sector first excelled at incorporating biopesticides in ...
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The complex nature of GMOs calls for a new conversation
An honest discussion of genetically modified organisms must move beyond narrow concepts of human health to the wider social and environmental impacts of engineered crops. The GMO debate is one from which I’ve kept a purposeful distance. For one thing, it’s an issue that has already garnered more than its fair share of attention. For another, when you consider that many domesticated ...
By Ensia
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Can bats reduce nut farmers’ pesticide use?
Ecologist Katherine Ingram is on a quest to quantify the economic value of insect-eating bats in walnut groves. For the past three years, Katherine Ingram has had a most unusual summer job: catching bats and studying their droppings to see what they eat. A doctoral student in ecology at the University of California, Davis, Ingram is exploring the role bats can play as winged soldiers in the ...
By Ensia
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Effects of the boscalid fungicide Filan® on the marine amphipod Allorchestes compressa at environmentally relevant concentrations
Fungicides are widely used in agriculture to control fungal diseases. After application, fungicides can be transported offsite to surface and ground water and ultimately enter estuarine/marine environments. The presence of fungicides in the marine environment may pose risks to marine organisms but little is known about fungicide effects on these organisms, especially invertebrates. The present ...
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Is organic farming climate friendly?
Think organic farming is climate friendly? You might want to think again. A study published recently in the journal Agriculture and Human Values suggests that as organic agriculture emulates conventional industrial agriculture, the environmental benefits may not be the slam-dunk that Earth-loving proponents might like them to be. It’s well known that organic practices offer climate ...
By Ensia
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A decision tool for sustainable agricultural policies: the case of water saving scenarios for Apulia Region (Southern Italy)
The economy of Apulia Region largely depends on agriculture but the scarce water resources are the main factor threatening the sustainable production of this sector. This paper describes a geographical information system (GIS) based water balance tool that integrates maps of crops, climate and soil parameters with various scenarios of cropping pattern and farming practice changes. The aim is ...
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A win for farmers and the environment
Is it possible to reduce pesticide use without compromising crop yields? Yes — and then some, according to a new study published in the journal Insects. Researchers at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom measured pesticide use and crop yield at 85 project sites in 24 Asian and African countries practicing integrated pest management — an agronomic approach that taps ...
By Ensia
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Spiders – the creepy crawlers we need
There are plenty of creepy, crawly pests in the world, but spiders seem to take the top spot for the most terror-inducing specimens. Although your first instinct when you see one of these eight-legged creatures scuttling around is to stomp on it, you might want to reconsider. The population of spiders is on the decline, and that poses some serious problems for their biggest threat- humans. ...
By Bird-X Inc.
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Trend analysis in climatic variables and impacts on rice yield in Nigeria
The effects of changes in meteorological parameters on rice yield variations were considered. Weather parameters, temperature (T), rainfall (R), relative humidity (RH) and solar radiation (SR), and rice yield variation for Ibadan were analyzed. Meteorological parameters were obtained from the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture while rice yield data were obtained from the Africa ...
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Insecticide risk map exposes threat to aquatic life
The global threat that insecticides pose for aquatic biodiversity has been revealed in a recent modelling study that pinpoints areas at greatest risk. The mapping exercise conducted by the researchers reveals that aquatic life in water bodies within 40 per cent of the global land surface is at risk from insecticides running off the land. Published in Environmental Pollution last month (30 ...
By SciDev.Net
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Chemical and ecological control methods for Epitrix spp.
Very little information exists in regards to the control options available for potato flea beetles, Epitrix spp. This short review covers both chemical and ecological options currently available for control of Epitrix spp. Synthetic pyrethroids are the weapon of choice for the beetles. However, the impetus in integrated pest management is to do timely (early-season) applications with something ...
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