Updated Dec 14, 2020
This article was initially published on The Wine Industry Advisor as part of a series on biological control and Integrated Pest Management written by UAV-IQ Precision Agriculture. Grape growers are facing increased threats from invasive insect pests. The issue with those non-native species is that there are often no naturally occurring enemies capable of controlling them and new Integrated Pest Management (IPM) protocols might take years to be developed, forcing growers to rely on broad-spectrum insecticides until more ecologically friendly alternatives are available. A notable example of an invasive pest affecting California vineyards is the vine mealybug, which is a major pest of grape vines not only because of the damage they can cause to the fruit but also for the viruses they transmit, such as the grape leafroll-associated virus. Vine mealybug infestation on a grape clusterTo discuss the latest knowledge on these topics, I reached out to Kent Daane, an entomologist and cooperative extension specialist at the University of California, Berkeley...
Categories: Organic Specialty Crops, Sustainable Agriculture
Updated Oct 24, 2020
Though most of the organic cotton in the world comes from Asia, Texas in the USA is also a major producer. Although specific growing methods may vary based on region and farm size, there are general principles that can be applied throughout the world when it comes to growing organic cottonEconomicsThere are many reasons to grow cotton organically. The market share of organic cotton has grown from 1% in 2008 to 21% in 2018. Half of this is grown in India, with China (17%), Kyrgyzstan (7%), and Turkey (7%) being the next major producers. It takes three years for farmers to convert to organic farming, as this is the time required for soil to become free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides...
Categories: Cotton, Organic Specialty Crops, Sustainable Agriculture
Updated Dec 14, 2020
This article was initially published on The Wine Industry Advisor as part of a series on biological control and Integrated Pest Management written by UAV-IQ Precision Agriculture. Grape growers are facing increased threats from invasive insect pests. The issue with those non-native species is that there are often no naturally occurring enemies capable of controlling them and new Integrated Pest Management (IPM) protocols might take years to be developed, forcing growers to rely on broad-spectrum insecticides until more ecologically friendly alternatives are available. A notable example of an invasive pest affecting California vineyards is the vine mealybug, which is a major pest of grape vines not only because of the damage they can cause to the fruit but also for the viruses they transmit, such as the grape leafroll-associated virus. Vine mealybug infestation on a grape clusterTo discuss the latest knowledge on these topics, I reached out to Kent Daane, an entomologist and cooperative extension specialist at the University of California, Berkeley...
Categories: Organic Specialty Crops, Sustainable Agriculture
Updated Oct 24, 2020
Though most of the organic cotton in the world comes from Asia, Texas in the USA is also a major producer. Although specific growing methods may vary based on region and farm size, there are general principles that can be applied throughout the world when it comes to growing organic cottonEconomicsThere are many reasons to grow cotton organically. The market share of organic cotton has grown from 1% in 2008 to 21% in 2018. Half of this is grown in India, with China (17%), Kyrgyzstan (7%), and Turkey (7%) being the next major producers. It takes three years for farmers to convert to organic farming, as this is the time required for soil to become free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides...
Categories: Cotton, Organic Specialty Crops, Sustainable Agriculture
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