International pest news in brief – September/October 2013 issue

• UK: UAV spotted  over Shropshire

Pilot Sion Rowlands, from KOREC, demonstrates the Aibot X6 hexacopter

A flight demonstration of several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has taken place at Shropshire’s Harper Adams University. UAVs, which can be remote controlled or can fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans, collect large amounts of imagery data and video in a short period of time which has the potential to increase agricultural productivity. The agriculture sector is expected to be the largest market for UAV technology in the future, providing farmers with a more economical way to spray for pests and diseases, analyse soil patterns and check crops.

The  demonstration  at  the  univer- sity near Newport was carried out by KOREC, which specialises in supplying innovative surveying, mapping, machine control and geospatial positioning technology to a variety of indus- tries. Leo Biggs, a Research Assistant in the Engineering Department at Harper Adams, helped organise the event. He said: “We invited the KOREC Group to give a UAV demonstration due to the increasing and potential use of these aircraft in the agricultural sector. “They can be used to assess crop health with the  ability  to  look  at  crop  damage, disease and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) amongst other capabilities. They can also be used as a tool for keeping track of livestock.
Source: Harper Adams Press Office

• UK: Surge in wasps

UK summer temperatures have created improved breeding conditions for wasps and a corresponding increase in call-outs

The July heat wave in the UK prompted a surge in demand for pest control services across the country due to the vast number of wasps, according to FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing company MITIE. The temperatures created improved breeding conditions for wasps and better survival rates for the insects they live on, and therefore an unusual increase in their numbers.

As  a  result,  MITIE’s  pest  control team was dealing with over 100 wasp-related call outs a day, up from around 10-20 calls at the start of July; destroying over 500 wasp nests a week in offices, homes and public areas. Peter Trotman, managing  director  of MITIE’s pest control business, said: “In comparison to the relatively cold temperatures in 2012, the recent heat wave has led to a huge rise in the number of call-outs for our pest control team.

“Wasps are highly aggressive and can UK summer temperatures have created improved breeding conditions for wasps and a corresponding increase in call-outs often sting even if unprovoked. Quite rightly people feel they are not a risk worth taking, even for smaller nests. Without these provisions in place, the rest of summer could be set to have a very nasty sting in its tail.”

•   USA: Weevils help park fight invasive weed

Over  the  past  decade,  Perch  Lake has  seen  an  increase  in  the  growth of Eurasian watermilfoil, an invasive weed that chokes out native aquatic plants and can hamper swimmers and boaters. To  combat  the  spread  of  the weed, officials with the Citizen Science Center at Beaver Creek Reserve and Golden Sands Resource & Development Council, along with local volunteers, have been releasing batches of 12,000 milfoil weevils, which are found naturally in Perch Lake but not in sufficient numbers to effectively control the current Eurasian milfoil outbreak.

According to Jeanette Kelly, Citizen Science director with Beaver Creek Reserve, the Perch Lake weevil project is in the second year of a two-year grant. Last year the first 12,000 weevils were placed in the lake. This year that number was duplicated. There are chemical treatments  for  Eurasian  watermilfoil, but Kelly said Perch Lake boosters wanted to switch to natural, biological methods to eliminate the expanding weed mats.

Thanks to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Aquatic Invasive Species grant program, Perch Lake was targeted for the rearing and introduction of a large population of milfoil weevils. From this year forward, Kelly said, the weevils will be left to reproduce naturally and attack the milfoil in Perch Lake.
See more at: http://www.rivertowns.net/content/weevils-help-park-fight-invasive-weed

• Central America: Leaf rust hits coffee  industry

Coffee industry officials say the region’s arabica crop is weathering an outbreak of leaf rust, while a growing chorus of small coffee growers say their crops are suffering far greater damage than their own associations’ estimates suggest. The rust, known as “roya”, causes powdery orange spores to appear on the underside of infected leaves. The wind-borne fungus eventually causes leaves to turn black and fall off, killing or weakening the plant.

Last year, the blight hit each of C. America’s coffee-producing nations and Mexico who produce approx 20% of the world’s arabica coffee. Compounding the problem for poor farmers are the expectations for record harvests in major producers like Brazil and Vietnam, and improved yields in Colombia, keeping prices down. In Nicaragua, 36% of the country’s 126,000 ha of coffee are currently listed as infected. In January, the 2013/14 coffee crop in Costa Rica was reportedly 20% lower than the previous crop due to roya.

In Honduras, the region’s top coffee producer, a quarter of the country’s 280,000 ha have been infected by roya. In El Salvador, the region’s smallest producer, roya has infected half of the country’s coffee plantings and next season’s production is seen sliding by 35%. With the severity of the fungal outbreak varying by country, no one knows how it will play out during the 2013/2014 season.
Source (Reuters)

• East Africa: Research needed to tackle maize lethal necrosis in East Africa

A maize research facility designed to reduce the time it takes to research and develop varieties resistant to viral maize lethal necrosis (MLN), is to be established in Naivasha, Kenya. The facility, funded to the tune of US$1.2 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is expected to be operational by the end of September 2013.

The facility is expected to serve as a hub for training young researchers and students in Africa on MLN screening and for identifying MLN resistant maize germplasm. Maize virologists from CIMMYT, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and institutions in the USA (e.g., Ohio State University/US Department of Agriculture) will work together at the facility.

MLN first appeared in Kenya’s Rift Valley in 2011 and quickly spread to other parts of Kenya, as well as to Uganda and Tanzania. MLN occurs after combined infections by two viruses – maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and either maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) or wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV). Infected maize plants are short; their leaves show chlorosis (indicating insufficient chlorophyll and thus pale in colour) and they die at about flowering time. MLN can cause total crop loss if not controlled effectively. Infected plants are frequently barren; ears formed may be small or deformed and set little or no seed. In 2012, the disease affected an estimated 300,000 smallholder farmers in Rift Valley , traditionally Kenya’s largest maize producing region. This year alone, the government estimates the disease has affected some 18,500 hectares.

• USA: Goats used to control invasive weeds at cemetery and airport

Land adjacent to the historic Washington, DC Congressional Cemetery was invaded in August by dozens of goats. They will be used to clear a 2 acre plot covered with vines, poison ivy and ground cover adjacent to the cemetery where former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and former Vice President Elbridge Gerry are buried. Goats are being used as the site is close to the Anacostia River. Paul Williams, President of the Historic Congressional Cemetery said that employing 70 goats for a week will cost the cemetery about $4,000. “That comes down to about 25 cents an hour per goat.”

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport also turned to goats recently, along with sheep and llamas, to feast on plants on 120 acres in the north east corner of the airport. In the past month. Haverford College in Pennsylvania also used goats to eliminate invasive plants and in Sandy Hook, N.J., they are helping remove about 40 years’worth of poison ivy from roughly 6 acres of property at the Mortar Battery, a historic site.

About 50 goats were released at the end of August in Rosemount to help tackle a buckthorn problem at a 6-acre private lot. The animals are rented from the Goat Peak Ranch in Red Wing. Lynette Nadeu, the goats’ owner has been using the goats for weed control since 2001.
source: various

• Singapore: Improved communication helps pest control

As the current dengue epidemic worsens, some pest control companies have been seeing better business. They attributed this to the public being more informed about the disease. A 66-year-old man, who was the fourth person to die from dengue fever, lived at Tanglin Halt Road. Tanjong Pagar Town Council has since stepped up cleansing and vector control measures to prevent mosquito breeding in the common areas. It is also continuing the oiling and checking of roof tops. The National Environment Agency is conducting vector control operations in the area, which is in a dengue cluster consisting of four cases. Dengue cases this year are 12,628 and rising.

Some pest control companies have received more queries from customers about their services. Fumiga Pest Management Service said it has seen its number of customers increase by up to 20%. Ng Say Kiat, managing director at Fumiga Pest Management Service, said: “If we compare with the last outbreak, I think you will notice that there are more people, especially in the condominiums and in the other housing estates, as well as in the commercial buildings, they actually requested more services to be done at their premises, and this is probablydue to the dengue outbreak, and also due to the publicity (on dengue) on TV and in other media.”
Source: Channel News Asia

• US: BASF opens $33 million facility expansion in Research Triangle Park

On 4th September, BASF, inaugurated its new research facilities in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. This $33 million expansion includes 80,000 square feet of office, laboratory and greenhouse facilities.

“This expansion demonstrates BASF’s strong commitment to Agricultural Solutions and strengthens our research and development capabilities”,said Peter Eckes, President BASF Plant Science. “This investment demonstrates our commitment to our employees, our neighbors and the state of North Carolina.” The facilities include a climate-controlled greenhouse and laboratories for plant biotechnology research and a new environmentallycontrolledinsect production facility to expand insect control research. “A significant share of BASF’s insecticide research is conducted in RTP. These larger facilities will enable us to evaluate our promising insecticide candidates faster,” said Nevin McDougall, Senior Vice President, BASF Crop Protection North America. In RTP, BASF manages a total of 480,000 sq. ft. and employs approximately 950 people. RTP serves as headquarters for the North American activities of BASF’s Crop Protection division as well as global headquarters for the Plant Science division.

With sales of around €4.7 billion in 2012, BASF’s Crop Protection division providessolutions in crop protection, turf and ornamental plants, pest control and public health. Its portfolio also includes technologies for seed treatment and biological control.
Further information: www.agro.basf.com.

• UK: BCPC returns to Brighton

In the welcoming pre-event publicity, BCPC Chairman, Dr Colin Ruscoe, recognises that this year’s event revives the tradition, originally established by BCPC in Brighton, to bring together stakeholders in the crop protection industry in one annual, dedicated event.

This year’s event at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, revives the tradition, originally established by BCPC in Brighton.

The difference from the past will be the concentration on specific topics. The BCPC Congress 2013 is entitled ‘Focus on European Regulatory Affairs’. This has become perhaps the most challenging and increasingly important driver of current crop protection practice, with greater public and government scrutiny than ever, and nowhere more so than in the EU, with its unique mix of scientific and political drivers.

This trend is reflected in an agenda which includes regulatory and associated scientific subjects, and the related topics of product stewardship and public relations, all presented by worldleading experts, which we believe will be of interest and benefit to delegates and their organisations.

The Congress combines presentations with debating opportunities and a lively exhibition. One particular objective is to offer a balance between formal presentations and significant opportunities for interaction with industry colleagues, customers and suppliers. The event takes place on 1-2 October 2013, at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton, Sussex, U.K. A full review will appear in our next issue.

• UK: HDC launch tool to help growers plan field margins

Growers of horticultural crops face increasing production pressures, including the diminishing availability of crop protection products and the need to comply with environmental legislation.

The Automated Field Margin tool which helps growers choose the right seed mix for their field margins, has been launched by the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) and Stockbridge Technology Centre (STC).

The tool proposes suitable seed mixes that encourage natural pest enemies, as well as farmland birds and pollinators, as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy and comprises a catalogue of mixes generated from a large database with information collated from sources that include academic literature, the Biological Records Centre and Ecoflora.

Unless carefully designed, field margins can attract pests or result in poor margin establishment; however the automated tool is designed to take these issues into account, combining differing crops and cropping regimes, budgets, soil types, and preference for annuals or perennials. Designed for vegetable crops, the seed mixes have the advantageover standard field margin mixes of building up predatory insect communities by providing nectar sources and alternative prey at a stage when pest numbers are low.
Further information:

• US: Marrone Bio Innovations – NASDAQ listed

CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., Pam Marrone, company executives, members of the board of directors, and guests visited NASDAQ MarketSite to celebrate the successful completion of the company’s recent IPO. CEO, Marrone rang the opening bell to commemorate the occasion. Marrone Bio Innovations, a provider of bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agricultural and water treatment markets, initiated trading on NASDAQ Friday, August 2, 2013.

“It was very exciting to be able to celebrate this momentous occasion with my team, esteemed members of the board, and honored guests,” commented Pam. “It has been an incredible journey developing the company into a publically traded organization. We are very proud of what we have accomplished and we look forward to continuing to provide our markets with effective, environmentally responsible pest management solutions.”

Marrone Bio Innovations, is a leading provider of bio-based pest management and plant health products for the agriculture,turfand ornamental, and water treatment markets. With a proprietary discovery process, a rapid development platform, and a robust pipeline of pest management and plant health product candidates, Marrone Bio Innovations is dedicated to pioneering biopesticide development.
Further information: www.marronebio.com.

• UK: The 21st PestTech Exhibition

PestTech was first held in 1993 at the Josiah Boots Complex within the Nottingham University. Since then the NPTA exhibition has become an annual event at the Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, UK and 6th November 2013 will see the latest and 21st anniversary exhibition.

Every year the number of exhibitors and attendees has grown, from all parts of the UK pest control industry: from manufacturers, suppliers, trainers, researchers, local authority staff, to working pest control technicians with their supervisors and bosses. In honour of the special anniversary, exhibitors will be reflecting the 21st year of the exhibition in addition to presenting their latest developments for the pest control market.

• USA: Catchmaster Launches New Pro Website in October

AP&G has launched the new catchmasterPRO.com website for the professional pest management industry.
Designed with professionals in mind, the redesigned site will serve as an educational resource for professionals who use Catchmaster products. PMPs will find an invaluable online library full of downloadable marketing materials including printable sales sheets, product shots and high-resolution logos and other cutting edge sales tools including customizable videos that will assist PMPs in educating their customers on the value of using AP&G products as part of their protocols.

Furthermore PMPs can visit the company blog to get ideas on how to be more profitable by adding the Catchmaster family of products to their arsenal together with technical advice on controlling pests, advice on monitoring, how green pest control can improve the bottom line.

AP&G will also soon launch their Pro eNewsletter that will be a monthly resource on how the Catchmaster product line can make a PMPs pest control efforts more efficient, greener and how their products lend themselves to today’s Integrated Pest Management approach.
Visit www.catchmasterpro.com.

• And finally…

India: Mumbai International Airport Ltd was put to severe embarrassment when a rat on its premises got onto an overseas flight and arrived at Doha International Airport last week. The crew of the flight were wishing people goodbye at the end of the three and a half hour flight when they came face to face with the unauthorised passenger. At least four airlines – Jet, Continental, Emirates and Qatar – have reported rat sightings along bay numbers 48 to 55 at Mumbai international airport.

Officials have narrowed down the problem spots to the aerobridges where the rats are believed to be nesting and breeding. The vermin are thriving despite the airport operator following stringent rodent control measures across its terminals, in keeping with a Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) circular on air safety. On their part, the wildlife management cell of MIAL has set over two dozen herbal glue traps on the premises, but they have not been able capture the rats as they are far too many and too big for the sticky traps.

An airport official said the organisation is now very strict about garbage and food waste disposal from aircraft. Reassuringly, experts said though rodent presence on an aircraft is certainly dangerous, all aircraft have built-in alarm systems that set off if there is any break in the wires.
Image source: Qatar Chronicle & Iloveqatar.net
Source : Mumbai Mirror

Published in International Pest Control – September/October 2013 issue.

Category: International Pest News, news in brief