China Protects Their #1 Ranking in Pears with Fungicides

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Records suggest that China has cultivated pears for well over 2500 years. China ranks first in the world in pear production, growing 75% of the world’s output. Annual production has increased twenty-fold in China since the 1950s. A key to production is protecting pears from a disease known as pear scab, which is caused by a fungus that overwinters in leaves on the ground. Spores are released as a result of rain and are carried by air currents to leaves and fruit. Scab lesions form on fruit and, as they enlarge, become large black areas. Fungicides are used in China to prevent pear scab infections.

“Pear scab (Venturia nashicola) is an economically important disease in China. The pathogen is different from the European pear scab fungus (V. pirina) and causes significant annual yield loss on pears, especially on traditional Chinese varieties. … Infection by V. nashicola can occur at any time throughout the growing season from early spring until late autumn, if environmental conditions are conducive. Leaves and fruits become gradually less susceptible to infection as they age. Pear scab in China is managed by routine application of fungicides.”

Authors: Li, B.-H.¹, J.-R. Yang², B-D. Li¹ and X.-M. Xu³
Affiliation: ¹Laiyang Agricultural College, Shangdong Province, China; ² Northwest A & F University, Shaanxi, China; ³ East Malling Research, Kent, UK.
Title: Incidence-density relationship of pear scab (Venturia nashicola) on fruits and leaves.
Publication: Plant Pathology. 2007. 56:120-127.

Chinese Rice Farmers Use Insecticides to Control Invasive US Pest

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The rice water weevil is an insect native to the southern US, where its native food was grass. Following the introduction of rice into the US, the weevil shifted from grasses to feed on rice. This shift was first reported in the 1880s. In the late 1950s, the insect was found in northern California rice fields. From there, the weevil was carried across the Pacific into Asia in the mid-1970s. First detected in China in 1988, the rice water weevil has become a major rice pest and has spread all across the country.

“The rice water weevil was recognized as an important invasive pest immediately after its discovery in mainland China because of the severe rice yield losses. The adults feed on the upper leaf surfaces producing longitudinal scars. Larval feeding on roots causes stunted growth, yellowing of the leaves (chlorosis) and plants that are easily uprooted, resulting in few tillers and low grain yield. In mainland China yield losses typically exceeded 10% in the established paddies, but approached over 80% in newly infested areas.”

“Insecticides provide the most effective means of controlling the weevil in China as they do in the United States and Japan.”

Authors: Chen, H.¹, Z. Chen² and Y. Zhou²
Affiliation: ¹ Department of Biology, SUNY-Buffalo; ² Plant Quarantine Institute, Beijing, China
Title: Rice water weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in mainland China: Invasion, spread and control.
Publication: Crop Protection. 2005. 24:695-702.

Organic Sugar Production in Mauritius Derailed Due to Weed Problems

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Sugarcane is the major crop in Mauritius. Weeds are usually controlled with herbicides. In the early 1990s, three sugar processing firms in Mauritius decided to grow organic sugarcane without the use of herbicides. However, the weed problems led to the curtailment of organic production. At the time of this article’s publication, there was still one organic producer; today, we have discovered there are no organic sugar companies operating in Mauritius.

“Organic sugar production started in Mauritius in 1992 after it was realized that a demand existed in Europe. … As the use of herbicides is not permitted in fields under organic crop production, manual weeding had to be resorted to. In view of the acute labour shortage and the increasing cost of labour, this item was a major contributor to the costs of production and one of the main sources of discouragement for producers who generally do not like to see their fields infested by weeds. Manual weeding is also known to be ineffective.”

“Although alternative methods of weed control exist, they could not be envisaged in the Mauritian context. Using a flame applicator would represent a fire hazard because of the presence of dry trash in the field, and weeding by mechanical means is not convenient because of the rocky nature of the soil. Weed control in the fields under organic cane was therefore not carried out to the same extent as it is in conventionally grown cane. … Owing to these constraints, producers gradually lost interest in organic sugar and only one estate, out of the three originally, is still involved.”

Author: J Deville
Affiliation: Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, Reduit, Mauritius
Title: Organic sugar production – the Mauritian experience.
Publication: Proceedings of the XXIII International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) Congress. February 22-26, 1999, New Delhi, India.

Want Cranberries from Oregon? Growers Have to Attack Fungal Rots

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Cranberries are subject to infections by pathogens that cause rots. These pathogens are controlled with fungicide applications. Under cool, wet spring conditions the disease problem worsens, requiring additional sprays.

“Statewide, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service on Aug. 14 projected Oregon’s 2012 cranberry crop at 400,000 barrels, up 11 percent from las year’s 361,000 barrel crop.”

“One drawback for Oregon growers this year has been rising production costs, as growers increased fungicide treatments to avoid losses to disease. Donaldson and Anderson [two Oregon cranberry growers] said they applied between one and two additional fungicide treatments, as a cool, wet spring triggered heavy disease pressure. … ‘For years, I escaped by doing minimal fungicide treatment, but this year we had to attack (the diseases),’ Anderson said.”

Author: Mitch Lies
Headline: Cranberry growers keep an eye on spotty yields.
Publication: Capital Press. Friday, August 24, 2012.

Hazelnuts Free of Filbertworm Damage Require Insecticide Sprays

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The cultivated hazelnut was introduced to the west coast of the US during the late 1800s. Oregon’s hazelnut orchards account for 99% of US production and 5% of world production. The filbertworm, which is a native insect generally found on acorns and oaks, is the most severe pest of hazelnuts in Oregon. The females lay eggs on leaves and the new worms penetrate the nut and feed voraciously inside. Consumers prefer hazelnuts free of insect damage – insecticide sprays are necessary.

“In untreated orchards, 20-50% of nuts can become infested with filbertworm larvae. Filbertworm larvae attack hazelnuts in Oregon from June through October, when neonates bore into developing nuts and feed on kernels. … Current filbertworm management relies heavily on synthetic insecticides targeting adults, eggs, and neonate larvae. Growers often apply between one and three sprays per season to keep infestation levels below the economically acceptable threshold of 1%.”

“No effective biological control methods are currently available for this pest.”

Authors: Chambers, U.¹, D.J. Bruck², J. Olsen³ and V.M. Walton¹.
Affiliation: ¹Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University; ²USDA-ARS Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory, Corvallis, OR; ³Yamhill County Extension Service, Oregon State University.
Title: Control of overwintering filbertworm( Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) larvae with Steinernema carpocapsae.
Publication: Journal of Economic Entomology. 2010. 103(2):416-422.

“Organic Farming Just Didn’t Work: Trees Became a Source of Pestilence”

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Organic apple production in the Eastern US is very difficult because of the presence of insects and disease pests. The moist climate is perfect for mold, rots and other fungi. Recently, a couple in New Hampshire felled their organic apple trees. They explained their reasons in an article for the Concord Monitor.

“In 10 years of organic apple production we had yet to turn a profit. Additionally, the trees in our organic block were the least healthy on the farm and were a source of pestilence for our other apple trees. After harvest, the trees were cut down and will serve their last purpose: keeping us warm next winter.”

“Apple scab – which appears with the springtime rain in New England – was the toughest problem. In an organic orchard sulfur and copper are the pesticides used to combat scab. Trouble is, they wash off and are at best poor fungicides. At a recommended rate of 12 pounds per acre and their propensity to was off, I was spraying this block every time it rained, over and over again.”

“Last June we came to the realization that the organic block was not only a net financial drain on the farm but, more important, an environmental drain. I was spraying it more, using more fuel, more pounds of pesticides, more precious time, and it was serving as the source of pestilence for the rest of the farm.”

Author: Chuck Souther
Headline: Organic apple farming just didn’t work: Trees became a source of pestilence
Publication: New Hampshire Concord Monitor. 10 January 2010.

Recent Evidence – Herbicides Improve Nutrition of Sweet Corn

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According to a 2009 study, application of two common herbicides to several varieties of sweet corn significantly increased the amounts of key nutrients carotenoids in the corn kernels. Corn is among the few vegetable crops that are good sources of zeaxanthin carotenoids, which help ward off diseases of the eye.

“Kernel lutein and zeaxanthin levels significantly increased 15.6% after mesotrione+atrazine early postemergence applications, as compared to the control treatment.  … This is the first report of herbicides directly up-regulating the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in corn kernels, which is associated with the nutritional quality of sweet corn. Enhanced accumulation of lutein and zeaxanthin is important because dietary carotenoids function in suppressing aging eye diseases such as macular degeneration, now affecting 1.75 million older Americans.”

Authors: Dean A. Kopsell, et al.
Affiliation: Plant Sciences Department, University of Tennessee
Title: Increase in nutritionally important sweet corn kernel carotenoids following mesotrione and atrazine applications.
Publication: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Published June 19, 2009 on http://pubs.acs.org.

Australian Grains Council Extols Importance of Pesticides

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Australia’s Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) is one of the world’s leading grains research organizations, responsible for overseeing R&D that deliver improvements in production, sustainability and profitability across the Australian grains industry. Recently, draft legislation concerning regulation of agricultural and veterinary (Agvet) chemicals in Australia was circulated for comment. The Grains Council weighed in with their view on how important these chemicals are…

“The Australian grains industry is heavily dependent on the efficient use of pesticides in maintaining productivity and profitability.”

“Access to a wide range of effective, safe Agvet chemicals is crucial to maintaining the productivity, sustainability and international competitiveness of many farming systems. Australia’s biosecurity depends on access to a diversity of pesticides and a responsive regulatory system.”

Author: J. Harvey
Affiliation: Grains Research & Development Corporation
Source: Comments in relation to GRDC research delivery under the draft Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Legislation Amendment (Agvet) Bill. February 28, 2012

“Routing Pecan Scab – Protecting a Popular Nut”

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The pecan is native to North America. Serious development of orchards occurred in the early 1900s in the Southeast. Pecan scab has plagued the industry since these early days. It was not until the introduction of effective synthetic chemical fungicides in the 1960s that growers could effectively prevent losses to the fungus leading to a quadrupling in yields.

“Two of the main advances leading to the U.S. pecan industry’s success have been the introduction of fungicides and airblast spray technology for quickly and effectively dispersing pesticides throughout an orchard.”

“The approaches have quadrupled yields and boosted farmers’ profits.”

Author: T. Weaver
Affiliation: USDA ARS
Title: Routing Pecan Scab – Protecting a Popular Nut
Publication: Agricultural Research. 1998. August:8-9.

Insecticide Use on Brinjal Reduces Poverty in Rural Areas of India

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Brinjal, also known as eggplant or aubergine, is native to India. A total of 1.4 million small family farms grow brinjal, which provides a steady income from market sales for most of the year. The biggest threats to brinjal are insects that can damage 95% of the crop. Worms feeding inside the fruit result in destruction of the fruit tissues. The feeding tunnels become clogged with excreta. This makes even slightly damaged fruit unfit for marketing.

“Brinjal is the most common, popular and principal vegetable crop grown in many geographical parts in India. … Brinjal is mainly cultivated on small family farms and it is a source of cash income for resource-poor farmers. … Farmers use large quantities of chemical insecticides singly or in combination to get blemish free fruits, which fetch premium prices in the market.”

Author: S. Dhas and M. Srivastava
Affiliation: Laboratory of Entomology, Department of Biology, Government Dungar College, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India
Title: An assessment of Carbaryl residues on brinjal crop in an agricultural field in Bikaner, Rajasthan (India)
Publication: Asian Journal of Agricultural Science. 2010. 2(1):15-17.