Southeastern nursery growers now have a new best friend when fighting pests and diseases. A new book, available in hard copy and iBook format for iPads, is now available, thanks to the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group.
Filed under: Insects, Pesticides, Weed Control | Tagged: deciduous trees, iBooks, iPad downloads, IPM guides, nurseries, nursery iBook, nursery IPM, nursery production, tree iBook | Leave a Comment »
Farmers may be paying more for pest control as white-nose syndrome spreads through the country and claims more bats. Bats are one of the primary predators of beetles and moths and save the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year in pest control, according to a study published last year.
Filed under: Insects, Invasive species | Tagged: bat disease, bats, bats and pest control, grey bat, research grants from USFWS, US Fish and Wildlife Service, white fungus on bats, white nose syndrome, white-nose syndrome grants | Leave a Comment »
Reduction of funding for agricultural research and extension programs may give the appearance of saving taxpayer dollars, but the reduction in resources often means that sudden agricultural crises cost more. For instance, the entrance of soybean rust could have cost soybean growers millions of dollars in losses or wasted usage of fungicides had it not been for a quick, targeted outreach effort by extension plant pathologists. Apple growers in Kentucky would have faced possibly huge losses to codling moth because of OP insecticide cancellations if University of Kentucky extension specialists had not demonstrated a new IPM management program that is now increasing yields beyond those growers saw when they relied on the former insecticide. Yet those university extension resources are currently threatened with increasing federal and state funding cuts, according to a letter to the editor of Phytopathology journal.
Filed under: Budget | Tagged: Crops at Risk, Extension, IPM Funding, NPDN, plant pathology, Risk Avoidance Mitigation, University Extension, USDA funding | Leave a Comment »
