{"id":15832,"date":"2024-12-09T12:07:49","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T12:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/international-pest-control.com\/wordpress\/?p=15832"},"modified":"2024-12-22T17:07:33","modified_gmt":"2024-12-22T17:07:33","slug":"international-pest-control-november-december-2024-vol-66-nr-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/international-pest-control.com\/wordpress\/international-pest-control-november-december-2024-vol-66-nr-6\/","title":{"rendered":"International Pest Control \u2013 November\/December 2024 \u2013 Vol 66, Nr.6"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Cover image:<\/strong> The BioGenius strategy is to become a provider of \u201cone-stop-shop\u201d laboratory services for all technical studies of biocidal and plant protection products.
Picture by <\/strong>BioGenius<\/p><\/div>\n

Controlling a plant virus rarely jeopardises up to 500 jobs but in South Australia the state government has quarantined greenhouse crops infected with tomato brown rugose virus (ToBRV) and ordered crop destruction and disinfection. Meanwhile, in the USA the focus is on spreading the lessons learnt from a decade of funding the Tomato Organic Management and Improvement (TOMI) project. And in Wales a BioHUB has been opened at the University of Swansea with the aim of innovation in the use of natural products across agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing.<\/p>\n

We don\u2019t often carry Opinion pieces but in this issue, four leading scientists and regulatory specialists in the biopesticides field make the case for change in the regulatory process for these products. \u201cBiopesticides will require a balanced, informed and intelligent risk review by the authorities.\u201d We need to get this right in order to achieve a smooth transition away from conventional, increasingly ineffective, chemical pesticides.<\/p>\n

Bug of the Issue is the pharoah ant, a tropical species which has infested homes worldwide.<\/p>\n

We carry a report from the IPM 2024 conference held in September at the University of Swansea – a successful and interesting event.<\/p>\n

Company news includes the usual mix of acquisitions, product launches, awards and appointments from Orkin, Koppert, PestCo Holdings, Pest Solutions, Andermatt, BioFirst and Certis Belchim.<\/p>\n

Our Company Profile features German company BioGenius who are focused on becoming a key provider of \u201cone-stop-shop\u201d laboratory services for all technical studies of biocidal and plant protection products.<\/p>\n

Our Special Feature section is about Technology in Pest Control, and we kick off with a plea from African Sub-Saharan smallholders for better access to technology taken for granted elsewhere.<\/p>\n

One way to avoid pests is to create an entirely artificial growing environment. Vertical farming provides just that, but the industry has not been an unqualified success and energy consumption \u2013 alongside energy price \u2013 is critical. WUR reports on a system of smarter control of artificial lighting which improves plant health and reduces costs.<\/p>\n

Robot use on farms is coming to the fore. An interesting study looked at two strategies for weed control: one relied on using herbicides until resistance made them ineffective (myopic management) then switched to robots, the other looked at extending the life of herbicides by using robots early on \u2013 interestingly the mixed-use mode is the most cost effective. Are you a myopic pest manager or are you forward looking? This section also includes articles on the digitisation of pest control from Pelsis, Syngenta and Owl Sentry.<\/p>\n

In Agriculture we look at a potentially new group of pesticides based on organically derived Furfurylamine. A newly discovered plant protein GAME15 involved in regulation of susceptibility to insects such as leafhoppers and Colorado potato beetles may offer new ways of control. Other topics include mitigating heat stress in tomatoes, rapid virus detection, and a new soft fruit breeding programme.<\/p>\n

We conclude with a magnum opus on the current state of the Ips typographus<\/em> invasion of the UK and its potential to devastate an important commercial tree crop. Written by Dr Terry Mabbett it challenges the view that the invasion was just down to blow-ins from the continent and asks if we are not significantly underestimating the risk from infested Norway spruce earmarked for biomass burning and firewood.<\/p>\n

And we close with the hope of a breakthrough in the fight against both Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) and Black Sigatoka, two of the most destructive diseases for bananas with the development of a resistant plant. Maybe it\u2019s time for the Cavendish to move on\u2026<\/p>\n

Chris Endacott<\/strong>, Editor International Pest Control magazine
\neditor@international-pest-control.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Contents International Pest Control November\/December 2024
\nVolume 66, Number 6.<\/h3>\n

\"\"INTERNATIONAL NEWS<\/span>
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