New Zealand grass grub beetles severely defoliate New Zealand grape vines and so far chemical control has dominated the vineyard management practices against this pest. Scientists González-Chang et al. have found that silicon-based dusts applied to vine leaves and crushed mussel shells placed in the under-vine areas can reduce the damage caused by this pest. They argue that changes in beetles’ flight behaviour after mussel shells were applied are responsible for this reduction in vine damage.
Neem tree produces several compounds revealing insect antifeedant effects. Scientists Zuleta et al. designed the first formulation of neem extract to control the armyworm in corn. They used a photoprotector and two stabilizers to avoid the photodegradation of the active substance in the field.
Aphids are major pests of apple and peach orchards and their management often relies on intensive chemical inputs. Rousselin et al. review the alternatives to spraying chemicals at each stage of aphid life cycle. They reckon that improvement of plant resistance to aphids combined to stimulation of aphid natural enemies can lower infestations. This could be achieved by adapting different cultural practices such as irrigation, fertilization, pruning, hedge or weed strip plantations, to orchard conditions and environment.
Chickpea is a pulse crop producing around 13 million tons of dry seeds per year from an area of about 13 million ha. The insect pest pod borer may cause up to 90% yield loss in chickpea, due to its frequent occurrence during vegetative growth and pod formation. Agronomists Patil et al. reviewed the sustainable approaches for reducing the incidence of pod borer. They suggest an integrated management involving host plant resistance, good agronomic practices and judicious use of chemical and biological methods.
Olive tree is attacked by several pests that cause important production losses. These pests are regulated by several natural enemies that also need non-host resources. Scientists Villa et al. studied survival and egg production traits of an important parasitoid of the olive moth after feeding on several natural food resources (e.g., plants and honeydew of hemipteran). They showed that the type of food available for this parasitoid was a key parameter for successful biological control in olive groves.
Various stresses such as pests, diseases, bad soil temperature or humidity conditions. can impair seeds germination and seedlings emergence. To cope with the problem, an usual practice is to control soil-borne pathogens by conventional fungicides, but this raises concerns for human health, biodiversity and the environment. A better understanding of these stresses and their interactions is essential to develop durable and sustainable pest management strategies. Agronomists Lamichhane et al. review key knowledge gaps in the field and propose five research priorities to better manage damping-off diseases.
Seed conservation under tropical climates is a great challenge when usual storage technology is lacking. Seed pests and the loss of seed viability are among the main risks faced by farmers and seed banks. Scientists Lawrence et. al. recently found that vacuum sealing significantly reduces stored insect pest pressure while maintaining seed viability. Several local treatments decrease also pest pressure, thus constituting sustainable alternatives to storage under low temperature and low moisture.
Tomato production is threatened by the tomato borer Tuta absoluta, notably due to the development of resistance in strains treated with conventional insecticides. Agronomists Borgi et al. show that the Beauveria bassiana fungus can be used efficiently against the tomato borer. Fungal strains overproducing the protease and chitinase enzyme are suitable biocontrol agents.
Perennial crops are plants that live for more than two years. They reduce fertilizer input and soil erosion, and favor carbon sequestration. However perennials are declining due to soil pests and pathogens. Vukicevich et al. propose to use cover crops to select soil microbial communities that will benefit perennial crops.
Sustainable agriculture should tend to reduce or stop the use of pesticides. However, this absence of chemical control may affect harvest quality by leading to an increase of fungal toxins, named mycotoxins, due to the development of pathogenic fungi in maize, for instance. Agronomists Reboud et al. studied mycotoxin levels in 29 maize fields over 4 years in France. They found mycotoxins levels twice higher in untreated fields, of cumulated 3.7 mg/Kg on average, versus pesticide-treated fields, of 1.9 mg/Kg. However, mycotoxins levels in untreated fields were still about 50% lower than the acceptable legal level for edible maize but with reduced safety margin.