Empowering organic cotton growers through plant clinics in Balochistan
Pakistan is among the top five largest cotton producing countries in the world. Although Punjab and Sindh have remained major cotton producing provinces since 1947, a sharp increase in global demand for organic cotton is offering a great opportunity to Pakistan in general, and Balochistan in particular is set to get maximum benefit due to…
Plastic mulch pollution in crop soil may threaten food security
Plastic debris could harm crop health in long term Plastic mulching involves the use of thin plastic sheeting to conserve moisture and boost temperatures in soil. Commonly used in arid, cooler climates such as China, it has been shown to improve crop health and yield. With water conservation becoming an increasing global priority, plastic mulch…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (06 Aug 14)
We’ve selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases from CAB Abstracts. Records this fortnight include the first report of Diaporthe pseudomangiferae causing inflorescence rot, rachis, canker, and flower abortion of mango, the first report of mixed infection of Papaya ringspot virus and phytoplasma in papaya in India and…
Update: Plant Health News (21 May 14)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the discovery of how pests develop resistance to biotech cotton, the intensification of the battle against coffee rust, and a biodiversity assessment of over 10,000 Ghanaian cocoa farms. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Cotton Topping Reduces Pests
Cotton topping has been reported to reduce bollworm infestations without negatively affecting cotton yields. Scientists in Mali looked at three bollworm species, which are responsible for the majority of cotton yield losses in sub-Saharan areas of Africa, where topping is no longer employed. Cotton topping is an agricultural technique in which the shoot tips of…