Written by Mike Bonds Managing pests is an important part of cultivating plants whether you are tending a small garden in your yard or several fields of crops. Insect predators can make short work of healthy plants, particularly if insect…
Tag: Crop pests and disease
NY Times on Saving the Orange
The orange groves in Florida are in trouble. A disease called Citrus Greening is destroying the fruit, the trees, and the future of the industry in the state. Scientists are turning to genetic engineering to create a solution to this…
Coffee the next crop to be saved by Transgenics?
Written by Caroline Coatney As I was drinking my morning cup of coffee the other day, I got an email from a friend about a Wired article describing the dire straits the coffee crop has found itself in and how…
Interview with Dr. Gia Aradottir
A protest group is threatening to destroy research. We interviewed Dr. Gia Aradottir to help shed some light on this experiment.
Manhattan project of Entomology
Entomologists Launch 5,000 Insect Genome Project (i5k) | Entomological Society of America (ESA)Entomologists Launch 5,000 Insect Genome Project (i5k)Lanham, MD; June 15, 2011 – It’s been called “the Manhattan Project of Entomology,” an undertaking that has the potential to revolutionize…
There are a lot of different ways for Bt proteins to get into our food
The insect pest protection protein called Bt deployed in many genetically manipulated crops is hitting the news again.Since Marcel Kuntz' posting on the alleged detection of this protein Bt (variety Cry1Ab) in tissues of women, including pregnant women, as claimed…
Read More There are a lot of different ways for Bt proteins to get into our food
Pollen defences used to protect corn and cotton against fungus damage
Flower power to help improve corn yield › News in Science (ABC Science) Flower power to help improve corn yieldWednesday, 4 May 2011 Anna SallehReposted from ABC Radio Australia Genes normally only active in the flowers of plants could be…
Read More Pollen defences used to protect corn and cotton against fungus damage
Release of sterilised moths avoids the need for refuges in cotton growing
Success in integrated pest management of pink boll worm in Arizona provides encouraging news for both the environment and for cotton growers. A two-pronged strategy involving insect protected cotton and biological control with wide scale release of sterile moths virtually…
Read More Release of sterilised moths avoids the need for refuges in cotton growing
Transgenic corn’s resistance to pests has benefited even non-transgenic corn
Genetically modified crop resistance to pests benefits non-modified crop, U of Minnesota study findsAreawide suppression dramatically reduced the estimated $1 billion in annual losses caused by European corn borerTransgenic corn's resistance to pests has benefited even non-transgenic corn, a new study led…
Read More Transgenic corn’s resistance to pests has benefited even non-transgenic corn
African GM cowpea potentially huge boost for local farmers
Scientists claim GM cowpea could generate US$1 billionBusani Bafana, SciDEv net1 October 2010The cowpea is emerging as an important food crop[SALY, SENEGAL] A pest-resistant version of the black-eyed pea, a subspecies of the cowpea, is on track for commercial introduction,…
Read More African GM cowpea potentially huge boost for local farmers