Collaborate Disseminate
It’s a sad fact that even though bees are essential to pollinating crops, they’re also harmed by the pesticides used on those very same plants. Thanks to a new discovery, however, a bee-friendly pesticide could soon be cheaper and easier to produce.Con… Continue reading Plant discovery could lead to wider use of bee-friendly pesticides
It would certainly be logical to think that plants don’t do well when exposed to forest fire smoke. New research, however, suggests that certain crops get hardier and more disease-resistant when liquid smoke is added to the soil.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading For more robust, disease-resistant crops … just add liquid smoke?
It is believed that parasitic varroa mites may be one of the main causes of colony collapse disorder, which is decimating honeybee colonies around the world. There may be hope, however, as a new chemical has been found to eradicate the mites without ha… Continue reading New chemical could help protect honeybee colonies from parasitic mites
Instead of using insecticides, farmers will sometimes cover their plants with a mesh fabric. A new such material has now been developed, which keeps out a wider range of bugs while still allowing crops to get enough sunlight and water.Continue ReadingC… Continue reading Maze-like material keeps even the smallest insects from reaching crops
In East Africa and other regions, potato crops are currently threatened by a worm known as the potato cyst nematode. There could be new hope for protecting the plants, however, in the form of biodegradable paper made from banana waste.Continue ReadingC… Continue reading Inexpensive banana-waste paper used to protect potatoes from pests
Just as hordes of homeowners have rediscovered the simple joy of spending time outdoors on their decks and in their gardens, backyard mosquito repellers have moved away from the smoky, smelly designs of the past, toward cleaner, more integrated solutio… Continue reading BiteFighter string lights chase mosquitoes from decks and yards
If farmers know what sort of pest insects are present in their crops – and in what numbers – they can avoid excessive use of pesticides. The FarmSense system was created to provide that information, via a network of Smart Traps.Continue ReadingCategory… Continue reading FarmSense trap tech counts and identifies crop-killing insects
Although pest insects may decimate crops, the use of traditional pesticides can definitely harm the environment. Spanish scientists have now developed a possible alternative to those chemicals, in the form of plants that produce insect-confusing pherom… Continue reading Modified plants designed to save crops by producing insect pheromones
New research published in Nature Communications has found a common pesticide may promote obesity by slowing the calorie-burning ability of certain fat cells. The animal study indicates chlorpyrifos, set to be banned in the United States from next year,… Continue reading Common pesticide may slow calorie-burning and contribute to obesity
After years of lengthy court battles the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it will ban agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide suspected of causing neurodevelopmental problems in children. The ban comes into effect in six … Continue reading EPA finally bans common food pesticide after years of court battles