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Scientists discover why food-ingredient-based pesticide is effective against spider mites

Scientists have uncovered why a food-ingredient-based pesticide made from safflower and cottonseed oils is effective against two-spotted spider mites that attack over a thousand species of plants while sparing the mites' natural predators.

7 Jan 2021

Scientists modify toxic pesticide to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria

A significant class of heterocyclic compounds, called N-Aryl-C-nitroazoles, is used as fungicides and pesticides. But these substances could be harmful to human beings and cause mutations.

4 Jan 2021

Researchers analyze oxo-degradable and biodegradable plastics

The use of plastic mulch (plastic covering on crop lines) is a widespread technique used in agricultural regions in order to increase the profitability of the crops. According to the European Commission, 100,000 tonnes of plastic mulch was used per year in the European Union in 2016.

11 Dec 2020

English rivers are extensively contaminate with neurotoxic pesticides used in veterinary flea products

Researchers at the University of Sussex have found widespread contamination of English rivers with two neurotoxic pesticides commonly used in veterinary flea products: fipronil and the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. The concentrations found often far exceeded accepted safe limits.

17 Nov 2020

Less diverse croplands lead to greater variability in pesticide use

As agriculture in the United States evolves, it's becoming more intensive and less complex. That means larger fields, more cropland and less crop diversity with fewer crops in rotation.

10 Nov 2020

Species-rich plant communities can limit herbivore pest outbreaks

Increasing plant diversity enhances the natural control of insect herbivory in grasslands. Species-rich plant communities support natural predators and simultaneously provide less valuable food for herbivores.

9 Nov 2020

GlobalData: Organic producers stand to gain from rise in public concern for the environment

Concern for the environment has remained of great importance to consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2 Nov 2020

Researchers are decoding the genetics of agricultural pests

The University of Cincinnati is decoding the genetics of agricultural pests in projects that could help boost crop and livestock production to feed millions more people around the world.

29 Oct 2020

Food scarcity and pesticide exposure reduce blue orchard bee reproduction

The loss of flowering plants and the widespread use of pesticides could be a double punch to wild bee populations. In a new study, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that the combined threats reduced blue orchard bee reproduction by 57 percent and resulted in fewer female offspring.

From The University of California, Davis 7 Oct 2020

Manual pollination increases the cocoa yield and farming income

Cocoa is in great demand on the world market, but there are many different ways to increase production. A research team from the University of Göttingen has now investigated the relative importance of the use of pesticides, fertilizers and manual pollination in a well replicated field trial in Indonesian agroforestry systems.

1 Oct 2020

Sociological study focuses on perceptions about food purity and impurity

Is an oozing apple with fuzzy white mold better than one that is fresh and green a month after you bought it? Yes, according to a new sociological study of Danes' perceptions about food 'purity' and 'impurity'.

11 Sep 2020

Insecticide can impact the feeding behavior of prawns leading to nutritional deficiency

Researchers from the University's National Marine Science Centre have demonstrated that imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, can impact the feeding behaviour of prawns in a laboratory environment, leading to nutritional deficiency and reduced flesh quality.

26 Aug 2020

Study finds agricultural additions as largest human source of sulfur in the environment

A new paper out today in Nature Geoscience identifies fertilizer and pesticide applications to croplands as the largest source of sulfur in the environment--up to 10 times higher than the peak sulfur load seen in the second half of the 20th century, during the days of acid rain.

11 Aug 2020

Rutgers expert highlights the effects of climate change on allergies, autoimmunity and the microbiome

Climate change and disruption of the ecosystem have the potential to profoundly impact the human body. Xue Ming, professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, who recently published a paper in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on the effects of climate change on allergies, autoimmunity and the microbiome -- the beneficial microorganisms that live on and inside the human body -- discusses how the delicate balance of the environment affects conditions such as allergies, autism and immune disorders.

6 Aug 2020