International Pest Control – March/April 2022 – Vol 64, Nr.2

IPCadmin | March 30, 2022

GSK’s malaria vaccine (MosquirixTM) has now been recommended for infants following a WHO-coordinated pilot programme in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. Picture by UNICEF/UN0287582/Diefaga.

Even if you live far from the war in Europe the implications for the cost of basic foods and products needed by agriculture will reach you. While European countries struggle to cope with millions of refugees – an issue already familiar to many other countries around the world – there is also the real concern that this war will lead to a worldwide food crisis.

Wheat in particular will be in short supply with both Ukraine and Russia major exporters of the crop. According to the FAO there are at least 50 countries that depend on Ukrainian and Russian wheat for more than 30% of the supply.

Added to this is the high price of fertilizer; tripled in one year on the back of escalating energy costs and the high price of natural gas used to make hydrogen which is then combined with atmospheric nitrogen to produce ammonia for fertilizer. This will have a knock-on impact on the productivity of crops worldwide as farmers cut back on inputs. All this brings the work of the novIGRain team to reduce storage losses into sharp focus; we report on their response in this issue.

In our news section we look at new work on the importance of controlling invasive species, a milestone in the work of the UK Natural History Museum to digitise its collection, the link between tourism and invasive species, a new role for seaweed and the exploration of underground ecosystems.

Once again there has been no shortage of activity by Associations and Societies, and the industry continues to see new acquisitions and partnerships. Orkin acquires Integrated Pest Management, GreenLight and Germains partner, Staphyt expands its operations, while Bayer seeks to rationalise its operations by selling its ESP business, Biobest invests in Plant Products, John Deere expands its start-up programme, Symborg acquires startup Glen Biotech and SGS expands its capabilities with new field stations.

In our special feature on vector control and biting invertebrates are contributions from our team of Prof Graham Matthews asking the question “Can malaria be eradicated?, Dr Partho Dhang looks at urban mosquito management techniques, and Dr Fabio Castelo considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on reporting of other diseases. We have contributions from Wageningen UR on your success at swatting mossies and the Tick and Mosquito Project’s review on trends in mosquito control.

In the public health sector we discover how cedarwood oil may be as effective as DEET, smell much nicer and maybe make an effective wood treatment. Rat welfare also comes under scrutiny as does the impact on household pests of the National Trust estate’s reopening to the public after lockdown.

In agriculture Alan Dewar looks at the ban on neonicotinoids on sugar beet and why it has been suspended for 2022, albeit under tight regulatory conditions. Dr Terry Mabbett follows up on soluble zinc’s role in boosting rice yields and then we consider the impact of the neonicotinoids ban in oilseed rape and the volume of European imports of palm oil for use in manufacture of biodiesel – two policies in conflict. Once again FAW gets a look-in, and how plants defend against leaf hoppers comes into focus. We close agriculture with a look at faster, stronger sorghum.

In horticulture bacteria in tomatoes, viruses in onions, and biocontrol of fruit flies all feature and in forestry mealybug in papaya makes an appearance while Dr Terry Mabbett takes another look Phytophthora pluvialis and the University of Chester reports on the use of synthetic sex pheromone to fool the ash beetle.

As ever if you have something of interest you’d like to communicate to our readers just send it in!

Chris Endacott, Editor International Pest Control magazine
Email Chris on editor@international-pest-control.com