Crop-damaging wireworms are the soil-dwelling larvae of click beetles. Wireworms have emerged in Europe over the last 15 years. There is actually few efficient control solutions, and actual control options use toxic pesticides. There is therefore a need for safer control techniques. A survey of 341 maize fields by Saussure et al. shows that wireworm damage is decreased by the occurrence of hedges and cultivated crops at the maize field border. Whereas wireworm damage is increased by the occurrence of grassland at the maize field border or during the rotation.
ASD
Safe control of banana-eating worm using a byproduct of sisal fabric production
The burrowing nematode, a worm, is damaging banana plantations worldwide. Actual control methods use toxic nematicides to kill the worm. Alternative control methods are therefore needed due to the high demand for safer and organic food. Agronomists Jesus et al. found that an extract of sisal, a plant species growing in desert areas, is effective to contol nematodes. This method is cheap because the sisal extract is a byproduct of fiber and fabric production from the sisal plant.
Phthalic acid ester contamination in chinese soils
Most plastic products contain phthalic acid esters that end up polluting water and soil after plastic degradation. Indeed, phthalic acid esters are endocrine disruptors. China is one of the largest consumers of phthalic acid esters. He et al. review the contamination of soils by phthalic acid esters. Findings show that the levels of phthalic acid esters in chinese soils are higher than recommended limits, thus contaminating vegetables. The main sources of phthalic acid esters in soils are plastic agricultural films, municipal biosolids, agricultural chemicals and wastewater irrigation.
Better agricultural forecast using farmer knowledge
Simulation is a useful technique in agroecology to predict future climate and crop yields, for instance. However simulation research is rarely taking into account the knowledge from farmers and policy-makers. Such knowledge is essential to to achieve concrete results. Bellocchi et al. discuss the participation of actors in simulation research.
Nanotech for better food, agriculture and water treatment
The recent development of nanoscience has led to the design of new materials of unprecedented properties. Agronomists Huang et al. review the applications of nanotechnologies for agriculture and food production. Examples include improvement of seed quality and plant growth, longer preservation of fruits and vegetables, livestock production, water disinfection, decrease of pesticide cost, and better fertilisation.
Crop protection under a changing climate
Global warming is changing the geographical distribution of pests with, for instance, new insect pests appearing in previously uncontaminated areas. Scientists Lamichhane et al. propose seven recommendations to improve plant protection under a changing climate.
Innovative Swiss agroforestry
Conventional monoculture systems are failing in the long run because they have been designed solely for higher yields and economic benefits, thus neglecting pollution, biodiversity loss and non-traded social benefits. Agroforestry appears as a solution. However, farmers are often reluctant to adopt tree-based systems despite incentives to do so. To understand why, Sereke et al. have studied agroforestry in Switzerland using collaborative research and bioeconomic assessment of farmer agroforestry innovations.
Urban vegetable for food security
Urban agriculture will increase because more than 50% of the world population actually lives in cities, and local production is both socially and economically more efficient. Agronomists Eigenbrod and Gruda reviewed various urban agriculture systems. They found that growing vegetables in cities is particularly beneficial.
Sorghum biochar increases wheat yield and decreases global warming
Natural biochars are alternative fertilisers that could solve three major world issues : the increasing cost of mineral fertilisers, water pollution by excessive use of mineral fertilisers, and the global warming due to carbon transfer from soils to atmospheric CO2. Biochars and carbon-rich solids formed by pyrolysis of biomass such as crop residues. Biochar can be used for soil fertilization, carbon sequestration and improvement of soil structure. Sigua et al. reported that addition of sorghum biochars increased total biomass of winter wheat by about 31% over the control plants. Their findings suggest that pyrolytic transformation of sorghum residues into sorghum biochars is a better strategy for both environmental and crop productivity improvement.
Cover crops and mulching decrease greenhouse gas emissions of fruit tree orchards
Fruit tree orchards should be climate friendly because atmospheric carbon is stored during long periods of time in trees. Orchards also produce woody renewable energy. However orchard soils, which store carbon, are often eroded under the Mediterranean climate. Agronomists Aguilera et al. show that organig farming techniques such as cover cropping and pruning mulching should offset greenhouse gas emissions, thus leading to carbon neutral crop products.
