scholarly journals The Efficacy of Alternative, Environmentally Friendly Plant Protection Measures for Control of Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera Frugiperda, in Maize

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk Babendreier ◽  
Lakpo Koku Agboyi ◽  
Patrick Beseh ◽  
Michael Osae ◽  
Jerry Nboyine ◽  
...  

The invasive fall armyworm (FAW) is threatening maize production and the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in the newly invaded areas in Africa and Asia. To control this new key pest and to overcome health, environmental, and resistance problems related to the indiscriminate use of insecticides, effective and sustainable alternative pest control approaches are needed. Here, we report on field trials that tested maltodextrin, neem-based products, ash, and soil, as well as the locally produced alata samina soap, in the Upper West and Greater Accra regions, Ghana. Significant reductions of larval numbers and crop damage, together with increased yields, were mostly achieved by applying the insecticide emamectin benzoate, which was considered the positive control in this set of trials. However, high efficiency and cost–benefit ratios were also achieved with two neem-based products. Maltodextrin was only efficient at one of the two sites, with a clear dose-dependent effect, while the higher dosage was nearly as effective as emamectin benzoate. Due to its relatively high product cost, maltodextrin is generally less cost-efficient. Ash and soil, as well as alata samina soap treatments, did not efficiently reduce FAW larval numbers or crop damage at the dosages tested; thus, they also did not significantly increase maize yields.

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrey Smagin ◽  
Nadezhda Sadovnikova ◽  
Marina Smagina

AbstractAnti-pathogenic protection of potatoes remains one of the most pressing problems of sustainable agronomy and plant protection. For this purpose, we propose to use a new type of synthetic hydrogels filled with amphiphilic recipients (dispersed peat, humates) and modern plant protection products. We assumed that the introduction of swollen gel structures into the rhizosphere of potatoes will allow us: to optimize the water supply and productivity of potatoes; to protect the fertile layer and potato tubers from the main pathogens; to fix modern plant protection products in the rhizosphere, keeping them from leaching and entering the environment. Preliminary laboratory experiments tested the anti-microbial activity of gel structures, as well as their water retention, dispersity and hydraulic conductivity with subsequent computer modeling of the water exchange and root uptake in the system of “soil-gel-potato”. Field trials were carried out in humid (European Russia) and arid (Uzbekistan) conditions under the atmospheric precipitation and irrigation on different soils and potato varieties with instrumental monitoring of environment, potato growth and quality. All experimental results confirmed the high efficiency of water-accumulative and plant protective synthetic gel structures. Their usage sufficiently (up to 6–15 t/hct) increases the potato yield with 1.3–2 times water saving, complete retention of agrochemicals in the rizosphere, and its actually total protection against major potato pathogens, including late blight (Phytophthora infestans).


2008 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. HUUSELA-VEISTOLA ◽  
H. JALLI ◽  
J. SALONEN

Selection of an appropriate sowing time for some winter rye (Secale cereale) cultivars could reduce the need for crop protection measures. In this study the occurrence and status of pests and weeds in relation to sowing time and growth habit of winter rye was studied in southern Finland. This was done using three sowing times and four rye varieties in field trials conducted at three locations in 1999–2001. The early sown rye was severely affected by pests (Oscinella frit, Mayetiola destructor) and weeds, whereas postponing sowing for two weeks after the recommended sowing time in late August resulted in considerably less damage and the optimal establishment of crop stands. The German hybrid varieties Picasso and Esprit produced more tillers m-2 in autumn than the Finnish varieties Anna and Bor 7068. However, the number of pests and weeds did not differ among rye varieties. Late sowing of rye should be considered to minimize the need for plant protection. If rye is sown at the recommended time it may still require insecticide treatments promptly in the autumn whereas herbicide treatment need not be determined until spring, after recording the winter mortality of weeds.;


2021 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
T. K. Kovalenko ◽  
A. S. Pronyushkina

The results of the application of environmentally friendly methods of potato pest control are presented. Comparative field trials of insectoacaricides and microbiological preparations were carried out on potatoes of the recognized variety Yantar in the Primorsky Territory in 2018 and 2019. The object of research was the larvae and beetles of the potato ladybird Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata. The tubers were planted at the optimal time for the region, late April – early May. The study used Fitoverm preparations based on aversectin C (50 g/l), Akarin based on avertin N (2 g/l), Batsikol based on the strain of Bacillus thuringiensis var. darmstadiensis (BtH10), Bitoxybacillin based on the strain of Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis (BtH1). The preparations were studied independently and with Corado insecticide. Potato plants were sprayed with the preparations once. Pest counts were carried out before treatment and after treatment on the 5th, 10th, 15th day on 10 potato plants in three replications in accordance with the approved methods. Bioinsecticide Fitoverm showed a high efficiency of 90.5–94.0% at the application rate of 0.16 l/ha. A single application of bioinsecticides for 15 days restrained the intensity of the pest development below the threshold level. The combined use of bioinsecticides and an insecticide against the potato ladybird provided a decrease in the phytophage population by 90.8–99.8% compared to the control variant (without the use of plant protection products). The inclusion of preparations of biological origin Fitoverm, Akarin, Batsikol, Bitoxybacillin in potato cultivation technology will allow to limit the number of potato ladybird and solve the problem of plant protection in an environmentallyfriendly way in the south of the Far East.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5201
Author(s):  
Kittisak Lohwanitchai ◽  
Daranee Jareemit

The concept of a zero energy building is a significant sustainable strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The challenges of zero energy building (ZEB) achievement in Thailand are that the design approach to reach ZEB in office buildings is unclear and inconsistent. In addition, its implementation requires a relatively high investment cost. This study proposes a guideline for cost-optimal design to achieve the ZEB for three representative six-story office buildings in hot and humid Thailand. The energy simulations of envelope designs incorporating high-efficiency systems are carried out using eQuest and daylighting simulation using DIALux evo. The final energy consumptions meet the national ZEB target but are higher than the rooftop PV generation. To reduce such an energy gap, the ratios of building height to width are proposed. The cost-benefit of investment in ZEB projects provides IRRs ranging from 10.73 to 13.85%, with payback periods of 7.2 to 8.5 years. The energy savings from the proposed designs account for 79.2 to 81.6% of the on-site energy use. The investment of high-performance glazed-windows in the small office buildings is unprofitable (NPVs = −14.77–−46.01). These research results could help architects and engineers identify the influential parameters and significant considerations for the ZEB design. Strategies and technical support to improve energy performance in large and mid-rise buildings towards ZEB goals associated with the high investment cost need future investigations.


Author(s):  
Léna Durocher-Granger ◽  
Tibonge Mfune ◽  
Monde Musesha ◽  
Alyssa Lowry ◽  
Kathryn Reynolds ◽  
...  

AbstractInvasive alien species have environmental, economic and social impacts, disproportionally threatening livelihood and food security of smallholder farmers in low- and medium-income countries. Fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda), an invasive insect pest from the Americas, causes considerable losses on maize to smallholder farmers in Africa since 2016. The increased use of pesticides to control FAW in Africa raises concerns for health and environmental risks resulting in a growing interest in research on biological control options for smallholder farmers. In order to evaluate the occurrence of local natural enemies attacking FAW, we collected on a weekly basis FAW eggs and larvae during a maize crop cycle in the rainy season of 2018–2019 at four locations in the Lusaka and Central provinces in Zambia. A total of 4373 larvae and 162 egg masses were collected. For each location and date of collection, crop stage, the number of plants checked and amount of damage were recorded to analyse which factors best explain the occurrence of the natural enemy species on maize. Overall parasitism rates from local natural enemies at each location varied between 8.45% and 33.11%. We identified 12 different egg-larval, larval and larval-pupal parasitoid species. Location, maize growth stage, pest density and larval stage significantly affected parasitoid species occurrence. Our findings indicate that there is potential for increasing local populations of natural enemies of FAW through conservation biological control programmes and develop safe and practical control methods for smallholder farmers.


Author(s):  
Devendra Kumar Verma ◽  
Hari Singh ◽  
Girdhari lal Meena ◽  
Jitendra Suman ◽  
Sharad Sachan

Background: Pulses are one of the most important food crops grown globally owed to their higher protein content. It also accounts for larger financial gains of the agricultural sector by amounting for a large part of the exports. The present study was carried out to determine the factors affecting production of pulse crops in Rajasthan. Methods: This paper based on secondary data collected over the years i.e. from 2000-01 to 2017-18. The Cobb-douglas production function was used to the observation for the estimation of elasticity of selected variables contributing to the production of pulses in Rajasthan state, Cobb douglas type production function was employed to assess the effects of seed, fertilizer, manure, human labour, irrigation, bullock labour and plant protection measures on pulses production. Result: The results from the study have shown that fertilizer and plant protection measures were positively significant while the variable corresponding to irrigation water was negatively significantly affecting the gram production. The variables such as seed and irrigation water were found positive and significant, while plant protection measures had significant negative effect on black gram production. Only two variables namely, fertilizer and irrigation water were found positively significant out of estimating production function of green gram.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-88
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar ◽  
◽  
S. Nath ◽  
S.K. Kannaujia ◽  
S.P. Sonkar

On-farm testing of IPM module in pigeon pea against pod borer complex was carried out on farmers’ field of two villages of district Jaunpur by KVK Jaunpur- 1 during 2018 and 2019 with three components viz., IPM module, farmers’ practice, and untreated check without plant protection measures. The IPM interventions viz., growing pod borer tolerant variety, two rows of maize as a border crop, installation of pheromone traps and bird perches with the application of botanical based insecticide azadirachtin 1% at the vegetative stage as an oviposition deterrence, application of chlorantraniliprole, and flubendiamide at critical stages of pod borer appearance during bud initiation and flowering stages. The reduction in the larval population and pod damage in IPM treated plots resulted in a significant increase in grain yield (1525 kg/ha) followed by farmers’ practice (1195 kg/ha) and in untreated check (857 kg/ha) The increase in grain yield was due to an additional investment of Rs.4100/-ha towards IPM module and farmers’ practice (Rs.2600/-ha). The excess expenditure incurred resulted in the highest net return of Rs.47550/-ha in the IPM module as compared to farmers' practice and in untreated check resulted in the lowest net return of Rs.18250/-ha.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-14
Author(s):  
Rupender Kumar ◽  
Pardeep Chahal ◽  
Mukesh Chaudhary

The study was carried out in four district of Haryana state namely Yamunanagar, Karnal, Hisar and Fatehabad, selected randomly. In total 240 respondents from 16 village were selected for analysis of Accessibility and frequency of ICT. Availability of mobile among the farmers was high followed by television, FM/Radio, internet accessed WhatsApp; face book; YouTube; E-mail, camera enabled mobile phone, Computer, , E-book and CD/VCD were found available and accessed by the farmers. Frequent use of mobile phone by farmers was found followed by TV, FM/Radio, internet, WhatsApp; Mobile phone, face book, YouTube, Computer, E-mail, E-book and CD/VCD. Farmers use of ICTs for the Variety of purpose included marketing, schedule of water supply, supportive facts, plant protection measures, marketing of dairy product, health care practices, management practices, breeding and reproduction practices. Variables education, socio-economic status, extension contact, mass media exposure, scientific orientation, economic motivation and risk orientation exhibited positive and significant whereas age exhibited negative significant with number of ICTs usage by farmers.


Signals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 803-819
Author(s):  
Nabin Chowdhury

As digital instrumentation in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) is becoming increasingly complex, both attack vectors and defensive strategies are evolving based on new technologies and vulnerabilities. Continued efforts have been made to develop a variety of measures for the cyber defense of these infrastructures, which often consist in adapting security measures previously developed for other critical infrastructure sectors according to the requirements of NPPs. That being said, due to the very recent development of these solutions, there is a lack of agreement or standardization when it comes to their adoption at an industrial level. To better understand the state of the art in NPP Cyber-Security (CS) measures, in this work, we conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to identify scientific papers discussing CS frameworks, standards, guidelines, best practices, and any additional CS protection measures for NPPs. From our literature analysis, it was evidenced that protecting the digital space in NPPs involves three main steps: (i) identification of critical digital assets; (ii) risk assessment and threat analysis; (iii) establishment of measures for NPP protection based on the defense-in-depth model. To ensure the CS protection of these infrastructures, a holistic defense-in-depth approach is suggested in order to avoid excessive granularity and lack of compatibility between different layers of protection. Additional research is needed to ensure that such a model is developed effectively and that it is based on the interdependencies of all security requirements of NPPs.


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